Going in Blind
by ForeverRobsessed
Summary: A wedding. A murder. An enormous fortune. It was just another case for Agent Cullen to solve, just another killer to track down . . . until she turned up.
1. Chapter 1 : Holding On

**A/N: Hello and welcome to my new story! I'm quite excited to share it with you.**

 **I'm very grateful to Pamela Lorraine for her feedback and cheerleading and Ninkita for lending me her editing prowess. The GORGEOUS banner for this story was created by Diane (obsessedtwibrarian)  
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 **I've got a few things to say, but I'll catch up with you at the bottom.  
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 **DISCLAIMER –** Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the author. No copyright infringement is intended.  
All remaining mistakes are mine. My research is heavily dependent on Google and a couple of TV shows, so, while I will try to make everything as realistic as possible, I might exercise creative license here and there. Cope, okay?

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 **CHAPTER 1 : HOLDING ON**

I shifted slightly, burying my cheek deeper into the pillow. Leaving my eyes closed, I tried to fall back into the restful sleep I'd enjoyed through the previous night. It wasn't often that I had the pleasure of losing myself in the dark oblivion of slumber so thoroughly. The amount of scotch I'd chugged at the party last night might've had something to do with it, though.

Another thing it was definitely responsible for was the pounding headache that was slowly inching its way into every fucking nook of my skull.

Groaning, I tried to shun my impinging consciousness away and cringed at the dull pain spreading through my brain, but it was futile.

Sounds and smells began to trickle into my senses, and when a woman's groan echoed mine, my eyes popped open immediately. Squinting against the light, I attempted to make sense of what was going on.

I was greeted by the sight of a mess of strawberry blonde curls spread over the opposite corner of my bed. I blinked slowly, my hungover mind struggling to run a hundred miles an hour as I tried to piece together the circumstances that could've led me here.

Before I could cast my thoughts back further than the party, the blonde head moved, and its owner turned onto her back. She wiggled, probably trying to get comfortable, only to let out a sigh of defeat before opening her eyes.

She looked at me and smirked, obviously more in control of her sanity than I was.

"Hey there," she greeted, patting my cheek before pushing herself into a sitting position.

As the jumbled pieces of my thoughts clicked into the most plausible explanation, I quickly ducked my head under the covers, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw that I wasn't naked, but had my sleep pants on.

A sly chuckle from the bathroom had me looking up in surprise. My partner-in-sleep had helped herself to the spare toothbrush in my cabinet and was applying a generous dollop of paste to it. She was wearing her own T-shirt with nothing but a set of lavender lacy panties, but the sight of _some_ clothing on her body was enough to give me immense relief.

"Nothing happened, Cullen," Tanya muttered and then stuffed the toothbrush in her mouth. She threw me an eye-roll before walking back into the bathroom.

I fell back onto the pillow with a quiet moan, scrubbing my palms over my face to force myself to gain some much-needed coherence. Try as I may, I couldn't deny the relief I'd felt when she confirmed my supposition about last night. A moment later, I had gathered enough strength to pull myself to my feet. Stretching slightly, I scratched my head before heading into the kitchen. I poured myself a glassful of chilled water and chugged it down, savoring the cool liquid as it flowed down my parched-as-hell throat.

When Tanya walked into the room, I took the opportunity to head into the bathroom and freshen up as best as I could. Grabbing the bottle of painkillers, I helped myself to two pills, hoping to get some much needed relief from the pain that didn't show any signs of relenting just yet.

When I returned, Tanya was applying a huge spoonful of blueberry jam to a slice of bread. Once satisfied with her sandwich, she turned to me. She offered me a bite with a sweet smile that others might've had . . . _did_ have trouble refusing to, but somehow, I'd managed to remain immune to her allures.

And that brought us to the question I needed an answer to, right away.

"Care to share how you found your way into my bed?" I inquired, sipping at the cup of coffee she had just passed my way. I took a seat on the stool, placing my hands and my cup on the counter and awaiting her answer.

Tanya shrugged. "You were passed out cold as soon as Jas and I deposited you on the bed. You woke up after a little while, though, complaining vehemently about how uncomfortable your jeans were and why I ever let you buy them. I saw your sleep pants lying around, so I handed them to you." She grinned. "You were so pleased with my help that you said I should stay here instead of driving home so late. The least you could offer me was a roof for the night in return for the pajamas— those were your exact words."

I rubbed my forehead, trying to remember what she was describing. Everything after the end of the party was pretty much a blur, but I could feel some bits of the conversation in question creep back into my memory.

"I meant that you could take the guest room, Tan," I murmured, shaking my head. "You had me worried there for a second."

"I just thought it'd be a good way of messing with you. You're too serious sometimes. You need me to pull you out of your funk. When you got shit-faced last night, I knew it was time to jazz things up a little bit. This was the best idea I could come up with. There was no other hidden agenda." Her face softened, ice-blue eyes gentling with a shimmer of pity I'd seen in them often. "Edward, don't you think that after six years of pursuing you in vain, I'd realize and accept the fact that I don't have a chance?"

I sighed, placing my cup down and rubbing at my temples. "Tanya, we work together. The Bureau has a poli—"

"I know about the Bureau's policy," she interjected, dismissing my excuse with a flick of her wrist. "Still, I can name at least five couples currently in relationships—from mindless fucking to serious commitment—right there in our office. When you want it to work, you can make it work." She laid a hand on mine, pulling it down from my temple to rest it on the counter. Leaning in, she ducked her head to meet my gaze. "You don't want to be with me. That's fine. Well, not _fine_ , but you know what I mean. But if you've ever considered me a true friend, at least respect me enough not to lie to my face."

A huff of breath left my lungs, guilt flaring in my chest. "I'm sorry, Tan."

"I don't understand why you won't tell me . . . why you won't trust me," she continued softly. "Whatever it was, _whoever_ it was who hurt you in the past, you can't move past it until you really try to let go. And you're not letting go, Edward. You know it's not healthy to hold on to the memories of someone who's long gone from your life, especially when they don't let you move on and just . . . live."

I looked away and she sighed, relenting for the moment, though I knew that another little intervention would be on her mind soon enough.

Tanya thought I needed to cope with the pain that'd been imposed upon me by someone in my past. She was right . . . in a way. If it had been as simple as that, I probably wouldn't have been as stuck as I was now. I would've dealt with it and at least begun to move on.

But it wasn't that simple.

I _had_ been hurt by someone.

That _someone_ had been _me_.

It was hard to deal with and put _myself_ behind.

Thinking about the past always left my mind awash with memories—memories of the deepest brown eyes that shimmered with hope and joy, of a wide smile that one simply couldn't help but return, and of the rosy tinge that bloomed over her face every time I touched her.

My girl . . . who'd defied all norms since the first time I'd met her.

 _"_ _I mean, come on! Who cares about all that crap?" she complained, gesturing animatedly with her free hand while the other held onto her glass of red wine. Her rich brown eyes were alight with the same passion that ignited her words. "It's her life, her relationship. Her parents may say what they like, but I told Angela that we could know a person for years and still never truly grasp what they're like. On the other hand, sometimes . . ." she paused, leaning closer as though about to tell a secret._

 _I leaned in, too, eager to listen to whatever she had to say._

 _"_ _Sometimes, even a single meeting is enough to feel the connection that could hold you together for the rest of your lives," she murmured with conviction, and I felt my lips pull up into a smile of agreement._

 _When Garrett had set me up on this blind date, I hadn't been too sure, never having done this before. The girl wasn't even someone he knew directly. It was through a couple of common friends that he had heard of her single-and-ready-to-mingle status and decided to intervene. I almost considered cancelling at the last moment. But as soon as my date had walked in, wearing a deep blue dress that hugged her lithe body in just the right places, I'd thanked my lucky stars and planted my ass firmly in my chair._

 _As we greeted each other, her ruby red lips stretched into a smile that somehow added another dimension to the mesmerizing beauty of her face. Eyes wide and dark and deep, mahogany hair falling in loose waves down her back . . . she captivated me from the first moment we started talking._

 _We'd been talking freely throughout the meal, and now, as we waited for our dessert, we had landed up on the topic of the imminent nuptials of one of her friends._

 _On another day, with another girl, I probably would've been freaked out by the topic of marriage and love at first sight connections on the first date._

 _No, I_ definitely _would've freaked the fuck out._

 _Today, though, I couldn't find any panic or awkwardness inside me. All my thoughts were solely focused on the beautiful, slightly strange, and very interesting girl in front of me, and how even though we hadn't parted ways yet, I could already feel the longing to see her again and soon._

 _Somehow, during my inner monologue, she realized exactly what she had been chattering about for the last five minutes. Her mouth fell open in horror._

 _"_ _Oh my God!" she groaned. "I'm so sorry. I promise I'm not some crazy stalker who wants to marry you tomorrow. Not that you don't seem like a good enough man to marry! It's just that you asked about the friend who set me up with you tonight, and these days, all she can talk about is her upcoming wedding. You must think I'm crazy, talking about all this on our first date, an_ _—"_

 _"_ _Breathe," I interrupted, reaching out to grab her hand in mine. I stroked her fingers lightly while she did as I'd asked. "I know you're not crazy, and I know you're not a stalker. I also have a cousin who recently had the wedding of her dreams. Though I don't get a chance to speak to her more than once in a few months, I still knew every bit of the arrangements through the grapevine comprising of my mother and my aunts. So I know how the wedding buzz works. It's like a tornado, isn't it? Sucking everyone around in its vortex," I joked, and she giggled in agreement._

 _"_ _It's a lot worse when you're the Maid of Honor," she replied with a smile, obviously relieved that I wasn't running away._

 _To be honest, it'd surprised me, too—the easy manner in which I could brush aside her dating faux-pas. But it was something about her . . . something that pulled me in, something that made me want to get to know her more and more . . . even if it was details of her friend's wedding._

"More coffee?"

Tanya's voice brutally ripped me out of my recollection. I wordlessly pushed my mug toward her, the twinge of familiar regret burning in my chest.

Six years ago, when I'd had to make a choice, I'd chosen to let her go.

She had no choice but to let me go.

It would've been easier to move on if I'd made a mistake, or if she'd given me an ultimatum.

The reason that some part of me was still stuck back in time was because there had been no wrong choices.

Every day when I woke up, the what-ifs plagued my mind endlessly until I was distracted enough to push them away.

There had been very few women in my life since then, and none of them had lasted longer a couple of dates. I hadn't picked myself back up enough to commit myself to someone again. That was why I didn't want to have anything more than a friendship with Tanya. We worked together, but more than that, she was my friend . . . my best friend in the last six years. If we decided to take the plunge to something more, it could never just be a fling. Tanya expected more, deserved more, but I was not the man who could give it to her.

I could try, but if I failed, I would lose her.

And I wasn't sure how I would deal with another loss.

Sensing my discomfort, Tanya kept our conversation light while we finished breakfast. She had just pulled on her jeans from last night, and I was contemplating a shower when my cell phone rang.

I frowned when I saw the name flashing on the screen. I turned it toward Tanya and she shrugged in confusion before motioning for me to pick up.

"Morning, Boss," I said into the phone.

"Edward," McCarty's deep, gruff voice replied. "I hope you've managed to ward off that hangover by now."

I rubbed my forehead, hoping that I hadn't embarrassed myself too much in front of him last night. "It's fading away . . . slowly."

"Look," he started, then paused. There was a distinct note of discomfort in his voice and that worried me. McCarty was always calm and collected. If he was rattled, something big had happened. "I know it's your day off, but we've got a case. It's high profile, and I need my best team on it."

I winced, but resigned myself to my fate. "Alright, Boss. I'll tell the others to be at the office, while Tanya and I head over to the crime scene."

My eyes met Tanya's, and she glowered, obviously having caught the drift. I winced again, shaking my head helplessly, but she knew as well as I did that you didn't simply say no to Assistant Director Emmett McCarty.

"Thank you, Edward," McCarty told me. "I'll text you the address in a moment. First responders and local PD are already there. You can take the charge from them once you reach."

"Understood," I confirmed. "What's the case?"

"Billy Black was found dead an hour ago. There's some ambiguity about murder vs accidental death."

My eyebrows shot up, having heard the name several times in the news. The man spearheaded a massive empire comprising of several companies in different sectors. He was one of the wealthiest men in the country, and self-made, too—no inheritance had helped him get where he was; he had earned it all in his lifetime. I was sure he had his connections well established in the government. No wonder McCarty was wound up about the case. High-profile was an understatement.

"We'll be there," I replied before we hung up. My headache intensified at the thought of the hectic mess today was bound to turn into, but there was nothing I could do except soldier on.

I briefed Tanya on what McCarty had said. She decided to head over to her place to get ready, and once she left, I quickly showered the stench of last night's party off me.

After dressing in my jeans, a button-up shirt, and a jacket, I grabbed my gun and badge on the way out. McCarty's message came in just as I was sitting in the car. I punched the address into the GPS, thankful that Tanya's apartment would be on the way. Once I'd picked her up, I pressed down on the gas as we headed over to the freeway. The painkillers finally started to kick in, and I breathed a sigh of relief as the headache began to subside, albeit slowly.

Black Manor stood at the end of a long, winding driveway. I didn't know shit about architecture, but just the look of the mansion was enough to tell you that a lot of planning and even more money went into its construction. The garden out front was filled with people dressed to the nines and chairs covered in white satin and peach ribbons arranged in neat files.

"What's going on here?" I muttered as I pulled into a parking spot.

"You don't know?" Tanya looked at me in surprise. "Who am I kidding? Of course you don't know," she stated haughtily, rolling her eyes. "Do you even think about something other than work? Watch some TV, maybe?"

"Can you get to the point, Tan? I mean, no biggie, we've just got a cadaver waiting for us in there. He's probably not in a rush, huh?"

Tanya didn't appreciate my sarcasm, glaring as we stepped out of the car. She did however enlighten me on the wealth of information I'd apparently missed out on while burying my head in my cases. "Jacob Black, Billy's son and heir to the Black empire was going to get married today."

"Huh," I deadpanned as we walked along the stone-lined path leading to the main door of the mansion. "Guess this puts a damper on the celebrations, then?"

"I'd say so."

"McCarty said there wasn't clarity on whether the death was a murder or just an accident. I wonder what could've possibly happened with so many people in the house," I mused, and Tanya nodded.

"You and I both know that numbers could go either way, really. The more the merrier or the fewer the finer," she quipped, making me smile for a second.

"Let's find out," I said, and we stepped inside the house through the open door.

We entered what was obviously the living room. Little groups of people were scattered throughout the large room, hushed discussions floating through the air. Their state of clothing indicated that most of them were guests who'd come for the wedding. Also present were the local PD officers, who were interviewing the guests—or more like getting them to calm down and answer the required questions succinctly, while side-stepping nosy remarks and gossip about the family involved.

The inside of the house was just as elaborate as the exterior. The furniture and the surrounding décor screamed of the bucket-load of money spent over them. Personally, I didn't care so much about any of it, but I suppose to someone with a taste for this sort of shit, the various shades of brown fabric and wood would make quite an impression.

"Whoa," Tanya muttered as she took in the sight, while my attention shifted to the huge, circular staircase toward our right.

Just then, a deputy officer came rushing toward us. Tanya quickly made introductions, and he directed us to head up the stairs before his assistance was requested by a forensic technician who looked quite confused. We assured him that we would find our way from there on and started climbing up.

It was only when we landed on the second floor that we realized that the staircase led up to another floor above. Surprisingly enough, there was no-one except the two of us in sight.

"I'll head on upstairs," Tanya suggested, and I nodded.

I stepped further into the corridor while she left me. From what I could see, there were three rooms on this floor, two on one side and one on the opposite. The first door was slightly ajar, and I could hear some movement on the other side of it. The remaining two doors were firmly shut.

For the rest of my life, I would wonder exactly what it was that pulled me toward the first room – simple curiosity or something else equally intangible. I would never have my answer, but I would also never be able to deny that there was indeed something that tugged me closer to the room and its occupant.

Because, by this time, it was glaringly obvious to me that the crime scene wasn't here, but on the floor above. The absolute lack of activity in this hallway and the surrounding rooms made that clear.

Still, my feet moved in the direction of that half-closed door.

Maybe it was my subconscious, or maybe a gut instinct, the likes of which had led me to many successes in my previous cases.

Whatever it was, I was helpless to do anything but follow it.

With a gentle hand, I rapped on the door, unwilling to startle the person inside who was probably in there to gather themselves in the midst of the overwhelming tragedy.

My knock was met with no response, and the urge to find out exactly who was there on the other side of the door flared. Unable and unwilling to wait any longer, I pushed the door open and walked in.

For all my intuition and instincts, the sight that greeted me on the other side was one I hadn't even dared to imagine.

Standing before me was a woman with thick, mahogany hair glinting in the sunlight streaming through the huge window as it hung down to her waist in soft waves. She was looking into an ornate mirror, seemingly lost in her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed me standing behind her.

Her face was a mask of aloofness. The dark red shade of her lips stood out against the paleness of her skin, and the flush on her cheeks was so familiar that it sent a painful jolt of recognition down my spine.

I must've made some sort of a noise, because awareness suddenly flashed in her eyes . . . the deep brown pools I could've spent countless minutes staring into, and six years ago, I had done just that.

But what sent a brutal pang of pain ripping through my chest was her attire.

It felt as though time had frozen to an abrupt standstill, the world fading away completely, as she turned to meet my gaze. Her impassive façade fell dramatically in the wake of the astonishment that echoed my own.

And as I stood in front of the only girl I'd ever loved while she was wearing a wedding dress, only one word left my lips in a breathless whisper.

"Bella."

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 **A/N: * * Did you all look at the genre? 'Suspense.' That's what it's going to be. There will be a lot of questions and no quick answers. That said, I won't be dragging it out, either ;) So sit back and enjoy the ride with Agent Cullen.**

 *** * Updates** **will be on the 10** **th** **, 20** **th** **, 30** **th** **of each month, with** **teasers** **in between in my Facebook group. Come join us at ****' Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed'** **if you're interested. Link is on my profile here.**

 *** * For all the WIP-wary readers out there, I have more than half of this story written. So you can rest assured - there will be no abandoning on this project. I'll stick to the update schedule to the best of my ability.**

 **Until next time,**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**

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 **FIC REC - The Second Son of a Duke by For3verImmortal -** **Lord Edward is the second son of a duke and on one mistaken night, his fate and the fate of a Viscount's daughter is forever intertwined. Set in 19th century London.**


	2. Chapter 2 : Fitting Together

**A/N: Thank you for the response so far :) Agent Cullen is very grateful for your interest in his life. A special note of thanks to Tarbecca for sending a bunch of you my way through ADF Fic Dive.**

 **Big thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for making sure my characters and I stay on track.**

* * *

 **DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight.  
My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

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 **CHAPTER 2 : FITTING TOGETHER**

I was frozen, horrified, mesmerized as we stood there, setting eyes on each other for the first time after six long, tortuous years.

At least, they'd been so for me.

Judging by her attire, I had no choice but to believe that Bella had done a better job at finding some semblance of peace and contentment in her life.

Hell, she had obviously done a much better job of moving on than I had.

The sight of hair of a shade similar to hers, the mention of her favorite flavor of ice-cream, the sound of laughter that resembled hers, and countless other things had been enough to send me on a tailspin, drowning in the memories of the six months we'd spent with each other.

And she had not only forgotten me, but also found someone else worthy of spending the rest of her life with.

As I looked at her now, she didn't seem like _my_ Bella anymore. A small part of my mind couldn't help wondering if I'd been holding on to a false memory all these years.

Her eyes didn't sparkle with mirth; they were flat and devoid of any emotion but surprise. I knew her well enough to tell that the blush on her cheeks wasn't natural, but only a result of the make-up caked onto her skin. Her shoulders, exposed completely in her strapless dress, were taut with tension, and yet appeared hunched, as though preparing for a slighting.

No, this wasn't my Bella.

The literal meaning of the words hit me just as hard as the first sight of her, and I had to work to stop myself from staggering.

While the silent turmoil brewed in my mind, Bella carefully meandered through the surprise and composed her face back into a neutral expression. Somehow, the dispassion in her eyes as she looked at me hurt me more than the tears she'd shed the last time I'd seen her and held her in my arms.

"Edward," she murmured, returning my greeting as though we were nothing but passing acquaintances.

I opened my mouth, but my mind scrambled and failed to come up with anything that could make sense in this moment.

I knew what I wanted to ask.

I just wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer.

Bella seemed to be having difficulty finding words, too, and so a moment passed in the most uncomfortable silence I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

Finally, I watched her shoulders rise with a deep breath, and I braced myself for whatever she was about to say.

"What are yo—"

"Edward!"

Both of us turned to the door with alarming synchrony as Tanya burst into the room.

"I've been looking for you," she continued, looking at Bella curiously. She turned back to me and said, "The crime scene is upstairs."

I cleared my throat, and reluctantly pulled my gaze away to nod at Tanya. My eyes flickered back to Bella, though. Seeing her so suddenly and under these circumstances made it hard to believe that this wasn't some dream and that she wouldn't disappear the moment she was out of my sight.

"I figured," I told Tanya. "I just stopped to check on something here and came across . . ." I trailed off, uncertain as to how I should address Bella.

Tanya solved the problem for me. "Miss Swan," she greeted, holding out her hand, which Bella shook hesitantly. "I've heard about you."

Bella grimaced, but managed to play it off by following it with a small smile. "I'm afraid the media have had a field day with this shindig."

My eyes narrowed, the subtle inflection in her words puzzling me. It was certainly an interesting choice of words for a woman to use for her own wedding.

"I'm Agent Tanya Denali and this is my partner, Agent Edward Cullen," Tanya continued. "We're with the Bureau of Investigation."

Bella's gaze flashed over to me for just a moment, but I caught it because I was expecting it. She would have been expecting a different introduction for me.

"Please, call me Bella. You should . . ." She paused, letting out a slow, haggard sigh before continuing softly. "Like you said, they found Billy upstairs in his study. If you'd excuse me, I'd like to change out of this dress. I can meet you in a few minutes. I suppose you must have some questions for me." She looked between Tanya and me, the neutral mask firmly in place over her features.

I managed to find my tongue again. "Yes, of course," I told her. "Take your time, but please contact us. We do need to speak with you."

Bella nodded once, and I moved toward the door.

"Where is your fiancé, Miss Swan?" Tanya inquired. "I've been up to the study, but I didn't see him there. We'll need to speak to him, too."

My hand clenched around the door-frame as Tanya's words clicked in my mind.

 _Fiancé_

 _She wasn't married yet._

I huffed, cursing myself for the irrefutable flicker of relief I'd felt at the news. The fact that she was yet to be married didn't mean anything. It wasn't her unwillingness that'd thwarted the wedding.

One by one, I focused on relaxing my fingers and loosening my grip on the wood.

"I don't know, but I'll find him for you," Bella was saying, while I gathered my composure.

Tanya thanked her before walking past me and out into the hall. Swallowing once, I couldn't help but angle my head slightly to glance once more at the woman who'd once held my heart.

Her brown eyes were already trained on me. When I met them with my own, something flicked across their depths. I yearned to recognize the emotion, and it drove a whole new brand of stake through my heart to realize that I couldn't.

Because I didn't know her anymore.

Turning away from her then was one of the hardest things I'd ever done, but I did it, knowing that the sooner I'd done my job, the sooner I could get to talk to her about the scattered, silent questions that lingered between us.

If that was what she wanted, of course.

I hurried my pace and caught up with Tanya on the landing of the third floor. The layout of the hallway was similar to what I'd observed below. The single door to my right was shut tight, probably locked.

Out of the two doors on the left side, Tanya indicated that the first one was Jacob Black's bedroom, while the distant one was Billy Black's study. It was where his body had been found.

We ignored the bedroom, heading straight into the study. The first thing that struck me about the room was the huge collection of books lined neatly, stack after stack, on intricately designed antique wooden bookcases. As my eyes scanned the expanse of the impressive collection, I couldn't help the thought that danced in my mind.

 _Bella would've loved this._

I winced immediately, my hand rising to rub at the tightness in my chest that always accompanied the memories of her. In the past, I'd indulge myself for a minute or two, letting the happier moments cloud my mind before I had no choice but to push them away.

This time, though, I had no hopes of suppressing them.

This time, my past was no more than a few feet away from me on the story below, changing out of her wedding dress.

I shook my head in an attempt to clear my mind and focus on the sight before me. Knowing my preference for solitude during this part of the investigation, Tanya stepped away to speak to the officer-in-charge from the local department, while I walked further into the room.

Nestled between the bookshelves was an ornate desk made of mahogany and possessing multiple drawers with decorative handles. Behind the desk, in a leather cushioned chair, sat Billy Black's dead body. His head was pushed back, resting against the top of the chair, and his eyes were closed. His face was peaceful, leading me to conclude that this wasn't a violent death.

Billy's lips were tinged a light shade of blue, indicating cyanosis. I took in the classic black tuxedo he was wearing, looking for any signs of a scuffle, but there were none. Leaning in, I focused on his hands, both of them lying palm up on the arm rests with fingers loosely flexed. The cuff of his left sleeve was open, leaving his wrist exposed. On the floor beneath his right hand lay a syringe.

The Medical Examiner was making notes on his clipboard as he walked toward me. I almost groaned at the sight of him, cursing my luck that, of all people, he was the one who had been assigned to the case.

"Agent Cullen," he greeted me, rubbing his left thumb over the grey whiskers of his moustache.

"Dr. Banner," I replied, mimicking his bland tone. "What do you think?"

"Cocaine overdose." As usual, he somehow managed to inject an exorbitant amount of certainty into his voice. It was the one thing about him that never failed to tick me off – his inability to keep an open mind. "I'm sure you've noticed the syringe. With the cuff rolled and the lack of signs of struggle, I'd say Mr. Black did this to himself."

I pursed my lips. "How did you zero down on cocaine without an autopsy?"

Banner lifted an eyebrow as he turned to face me fully. "Jane—" he said and pointed to a forensic tech working on the other side of the room. "—found a stash of it in the top drawer. Looks like Mr. Black might've been a user for a while, though I can't verify that until I've performed some tests. I'll let you have the confirmation once I get him to the lab."

Suppressing a sigh, I simply nodded. He informed me that, judging by the extent of development of rigor mortis, the death appeared to have occurred no more than three hours ago. He then moved on to complete the rest of his job.

"Hey," Tanya said as she joined me, followed by a tall, balding man in the local PD uniform. "This is Chief Jenks."

"Good to meet you, Chief." I held out a hand, and he shook it firmly. "I wish it could've been under better circumstances."

"Agent Cullen."

"What do you make of the scene?" I asked him.

Jenks' mouth twisted to one side as he considered my question, his eyes trained on the corpse.

"Hard to say," he addressed Tanya and me. "The good doctor seems to be convinced it's accidental, but you never really know."

I nodded, my gaze wandering across the room.

"That window," I said, pointing toward the corner. "Was it locked when you came in?"

"Yes, we checked. It's locked from the inside with no signs of tampering and has been so since we arrived at the scene."

"Who found the body?" Tanya asked.

"Jacob Black," Jenks replied, shaking his head wistfully. "Poor guy. Losing your father is always difficult, but on your wedding day . . ."

A flash of resentment lanced through me at the sound of his name, and I changed the subject.

"Did you know anything about Billy's drug habit?" I inquired. "I mean, were there any rumors of the sort?"

"No, there was nothing," he answered. "In fact, Mr. Black was a very . . . well-ordered man, one could say. He served in the army for over a decade, and people who know . . . _knew_ him would say that those years left a deep mark on him that never faded. There were a lot of things he didn't condone— tardiness and substance abuse were definitely high up on that list. He was quite vocal about it in the community, too."

My eyes roamed over the desk where everything was arranged in what seemed to be their rightful places, with not one corner of a sheet of paper sneaking out of the piles on both ends. Perpendicular angles dominated the arrangement. There was an array of pens tucked away on the right side of the table— again, lined up systematically.

Just the sight of the desk screamed of Billy's need for structure and control. Despite the circumstances, I couldn't help but think that this wasn't a man who'd shoot up drugs on the day of his son's wedding, if at all.

Unless he wasn't happy with the union.

"That doesn't sound like a person who would shoot up cocaine in the first place," Tanya stated, echoing my thoughts.

"Well," Dr. Banner interrupted suddenly, forcing his way into our discussion. I hadn't even realized he'd been eavesdropping. "Did any of you bother to inquire about the state of his health? Billy Black had been diagnosed with cirrhosis a few months ago. He had a rare blood type, that unfortunately, none of his children shared, and even if they could find a match, at his age, it was likely that he wouldn't have survived a transplant surgery. He only had a few more months left to his life. One can never figure out the mysterious workings of a mind struggling to come to terms with that situation. He also struggled with arthritic pain from time to time, which added to his misery. Maybe he saw cocaine as the only way to cope with his prognosis. He just made an error in estimating the dose."

"Dr. Banner . . ." Tanya started brusquely, but I stopped her. Tanya hated Banner's quick assumptions and obstinate approach as much as I did. From the tone of her voice, I knew she was about to snap at him, and that was not something we needed at the moment.

"Who told you that he was sick?" I asked instead.

"The daughter, Rachel," Banner replied. "She should be back soon. She went off to feed her child. Looked like a handful, that kid."

Jenks cleared his throat. "Well, if that's all you need from me, Agents, I'll get back to work."

"Of course, Chief. Thank you for your help." I shook his hand again. "Your officers are working on interviewing the guests, I suppose?"

"Yes," he confirmed. "Though we haven't had any success so far. The aisle and everything had been set up outside in the garden, you see. They said that around the estimated time of death, no-one but the catering staff and the family members were coming or going through the house. The rest were all mingling outside."

"Anyone would've needed an invitation to step foot on the estate, so if this is indeed a murder, it had to have been someone from the family, the staff or one of the guests. We'll look into everyone, but I doubt it would've been too hard for one of the guests to slip in unnoticed," Tanya surmised.

"It could've been as simple as a request to use the facilities," I suggested.

Jenks nodded. "It's possible. Well, let's hope that the interviews shed some light on that. I'll let you know what we find," he said before leaving us to go speak to one of his subordinates.

My gaze roved around the room again, taking in every detail that could possibly give us some clue as to what really happened here.

Tanya rattled off some instructions to a forensic tech before coming to stand next to me, her eyes also travelling across every surface in the room.

"So what do you thi—" she started, only to be interrupted.

"Agents," a deep, husky voice called out. Tanya and I turned toward the door.

Standing at the threshold, holding Bella's hand in his was a tall man dressed in a white dress shirt and pants, with the jacket of his tuxedo handing from his free arm. Tanya started to walk toward them immediately, but I stood frozen, swallowing down the bitterness brewing inside my chest at the sight of Jacob Black.

Bella hadn't been mine for a long, long time.

But the idea of her being with _him_ was still like a sharp punch to my gut.

Because as Tanya had accurately deduced, I had never truly let her go.

When I didn't move, Tanya turned to glance at me. She touched my arm to catch my itinerant attention. "You okay? We should go outside," she whispered, obviously puzzled by my behavior. "No need to make them see this again."

"Yeah," I muttered. Shaking off the stupor, I followed her out where Jacob and Bella waited.

My eyes fell on Bella's face, and I found hers locked on my arm, right where Tanya had placed her hand a moment ago. I cleared my throat as we stood before them, and her head snapped up.

Introductions were made quickly, and I took a moment to observe the man before me.

His skin was a russet shade, and straight jet-black hair hung down just past his ears. His red-rimmed eyes were deeply set, dark, intense, yet a little distant as they flickered between Tanya and me. I looked down to find his hand wrapped around Bella's.

Literally _wrapped_ around hers.

Bella's thumb was wound around his, but the rest of her fingers were completely encased in Jacob's. The sight of her porcelain skin against his darker one unsettled me.

And their meshed palms triggered a memory I hadn't allowed myself to recall in the past six years.

 _We were sitting on the couch in the living room of her small apartment, her legs splayed across my lap and her head resting on my shoulder. She wept as the movie on the television drew to a close, the leading pair of long lost lovers reuniting after ten years of trials and tribulations._

 _Or something equally sentimental and cheesy._

 _I couldn't exactly describe what we'd just watched, because I'd barely seen it at all._

 _I only watched_ her _._

 _When the final credits rolled in, Bella sniffed back her tears and snuggled closer to me. I reached out to take her hand, entwining our fingers. I'd always held her hand this way, ever since she'd slipped her palm in mine in the same manner at the end of our first date._

 _Never before had I met a girl who'd done that with such simplicity – no games, no twirling hair, no plunging neckline, or seemingly accidental brushing of fingers._

 _Just the warmth of her slender fingers tangling with mine._

 _It might've been crazy, but I'd known at that moment, that she was . . . special._

 _And, now, two months after that first evening, I knew - together, we were special, too._

 _Shaking my head at the mushy turn of my thoughts, I kissed Bella's forehead. No doubt, it was the damn movie playing in the background that'd filled my head with fucking cotton candy. But, if my girl's company was what I got in return for a couple of hours of corniness, I would gladly take the deal._

 _Well, maybe not_ gladly _, but I'd still take it._

 _I turned to Bella and found her gazing at our joined hands with a pensive look on her face._

 _"_ _Hey," I murmured, and she looked up with a smile, her eyes still glistening with the remnants of her tears. One slipped out from the corner and rolled down the apple of her cheek. I brushed it away with my lips. "What are you thinking?"_

 _"_ _Something my dad always talks about," she replied quietly. "For as long as I remember, he loves to tell the story of how the first time he took Mom's hand in his, that was when he knew she was the one for him. He felt something shift inside him at the way their fingers locked together perfectly."_

 _"_ _I know exactly what he means. We fit together pretty damn good, too." I winked, squeezing her palm gently, and her lips quirked up._

 _"_ _I was thinking the same thing," she whispered, leaning in to close the gap between us and place her mouth against mine._

I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, before opening them again and dragging myself back to the present. It took all of my willpower to restrain my desire to separate her hand from his.

I realized that Tanya had asked Jacob about how he discovered his father's body.

Grounding my concentration to the present, I reminded myself that no matter what the circumstances, I had a job to do here. I focused my thoughts on Jacob's words as he answered the question.

"Once I'd gotten dressed, I went down to the garden, and someone told me that Dad hadn't come downstairs at all," he told us, his voice shaking slightly as he struggled to maintain his composure. "I called his phone first, because he always hated it when anyone intruded on his time in the study. When he didn't answer, I came inside and climbed up to the third story. I knocked and yelled for a whole minute, but there was no response." He closed his eyes, his mouth twisting in an anguished grimace. "Finally, I twisted the handle to find the door unlocked, and when I walked in . . ."

I kept my eyes on his face, absorbing his words, but at the same time, observing the shift in his body language and the tone of his voice. I'd been on the force long enough to know that tears of family members could often be as fake as a three-dollar bill. At the moment, though, try as I might, I couldn't find anything phony in Jacob Black's expression.

Bella let go of Jacob's hand, and the knot in my chest relaxed a little, until he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, leaning on her as though to seek comfort.

Bella's gaze flashed to meet mine for just a second before she dropped her head.

I wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of here until I could get my thoughts in order. The completely unprecedented turn of events that had occurred since I'd set foot in this house had thrown me for a tailspin, and it was a struggle to keep my mind focused on work.

Especially when I had to watch as another man embraced the only woman I'd ever loved, right before my eyes.

Not only was there nothing I could do about it, but I was also expected to hone my faculties into catching a killer.

I swallowed thickly, shuffling my feet.

I noticed Tanya looking at me from the corner of her eye, undoubtedly puzzled by my silence. Usually, I jumped at the chance of speaking to the people present at the crime scene, eager and watchful for any insight that could shed light on the occurrence. I didn't know if I had it in me to do the same at present.

"We'll have more questions for you, Mr. Black," I said as calmly as I could manage. "But first, I think we should get the lay of the land, so to speak. Once we have all we need from here, the forensic techs can clear up the premises. Obviously, the room will be sealed, but your family can have some modicum of privacy once we get out of your hair."

"I appreciate that," he responded with a nod. "Actually, I have a few things to take care of, so I can see you again in half an hour, if that's alright."

I looked at Tanya, and she nodded. "That should be fine," I told him, and we shook hands.

I started to turn, but once again, my eyes locked with Bella's. The deep brown pools that had once been so familiar to me were shrouded by a veil of dispassion. I'd seen them sparkle with whatever emotion coursed through her mind, a mirror for her very soul, but seeing them now, devoid of anything I could identify twisted my insides.

I shook my head and pushed the thoughts aside. Summoning all my determination, I forced myself to angle my body away, telling myself that I would have time to get my answers.

With a deep breath and a final glance at the breathtakingly beautiful face that had haunted my dreams for years, I walked away with Tanya by my side.

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 **A/N: Yes, I know – questions, questions. There will be more before we get to the answers. All in due time.**

 **For pics and teasers – FB group –** **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed** **(Link is on my profile)**

 **See you in ten days!**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**

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 **FIC REC - Lacunar by perpetually - He can't remember what she's done. She can't forgive herself for what's happened. When a slate has been erased, some chalk will always remain.**


	3. Chapter 3 : Asking Questions

**A/N: I received a very pleasant surprise when my story, Curveball was chosen as the Favorite Undiscovered Gem Fic – 3rd Place – in Twific Fandom Awards. Many, many thanks to all my readers who voted to make this happen.**

 **I'm passing the SURPRISE on, lol! Here's an early update to express my gratitude.**

 **As always, thanks to Pamela an** **d Ninkita for their help. Remaining mistakes are all mine.**

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 **DISCLAIMER – You already know I don't own Twilight. My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?**

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 **CHAPTER 3**

 **ASKING QUESTIONS**

My mind whirred, past and present mingling in a blur that made doing my job harder than it'd ever been.

"So what do you make of them?" Tanya inquired of me as we took note of the layout of the house.

"I don't know," I replied distractedly.

She spun on her heels to face me, one hand landing on my chest in shock. "Did the great Edward Cullen seriously just say that he couldn't get a read on these people?"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up. I'm not that conceited."

"No, you're not," Tanya allowed. "But you do pride yourself on being intuitive enough to spot someone who's lying. And you just admitted to not being able to do so after speaking to Jacob and his would-be wife."

My eyes narrowed, and my hands balled into fists.

Tanya went on, probably attributing my reaction to her teasing. "I've never seen you look this unsure about something. It's . . . kind of entertaining."

"We've barely spoken to them," I told her, moving toward the staircase. "I'll do my best to satisfy your expectations when we talk to them at length."

Tanya pressed her lips together, obviously suppressing a snicker. I ignored her and turned around to face the hallway.

"Jacob said he'd just gotten downstairs when he realized Billy's absence. Unless he left his bedroom for a while before that, I don't see how anyone could've gotten to the study without drawing his attention," I speculated.

"Maybe, maybe not. It's a wedding, after all. Loads of people moving around here and there," Tanya pointed out. "And even if he was in there, but his door was closed . . ."

"That would've been convenient for the killer."

"If there is a killer."

I threw her an incredulous look. "You're buying Banner's theory?"

Tanya shrugged, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jeans and leaning against the handrail. "I took a moment to give it some thought, and you have to admit, it's not that unreasonable. The man bugs me, too. But, Edward, it's true that when you're living on a clock that's about to stop ticking any moment, people do things that're out of character for their usual self. This could've been the first time Billy used and ended up taking far more than he should've, or maybe he'd started using often and grown tolerant to it. Either way, I don't see it as completely implausible."

I breathed in a puff of air before exhaling slowly. "I don't know, Tan. It just doesn't sit right with me. Something about the whole scene . . . this is too simple, and I get the feeling that when we start digging, it's going to be anything but."

She winced, annoyed. "Don't start. You'll mess up the juju. We've had enough complicated cases to last me for a while. I'd kill for a simple one." She smirked at her own joke.

I just shook my head, leading her down to the second floor. We asked for the two locked rooms to be opened, and then peeked into them. They looked like mundane guest bedrooms, and we found nothing significant to the case. Walking back into the room where I'd found Bella, my gaze roamed over every surface, looking for traces of her. The counter in the washroom was littered with cosmetic products I couldn't even identify and didn't bother trying. But I couldn't help thinking of a time when Bella didn't believe in caking her face with such shit.

I'd always loved her skin just as it naturally was — porcelain, delicate, the softest velvet under my fingertips.

I turned away hastily, channeling my thoughts down a more appropriate path.

I frowned when I looked at the fireplace. Tanya followed my gaze and cocked her head to the side.

"Looks like she lit a fire recently," she commented. "It's not that cold, is it? I mean, the sun is out. Perfect time for a wedding — not too chilly, and just the right touch of warmth in the air."

The sight of the recently put out burnt logs took me back in time.

 _"God, Bella!" I groaned in annoyance, shifting away from her ever icy toes. "Did you even attend your classes today? Because it seems like all you've done is play footsie with snowmen."_

 _She chuckled, burrowing under the blanket and relentlessly pushing the little icicles on her feet closer to my retreating ones. "I don't know what exactly you've been doing in your relationships so far, Cullen, but warming my toes is part of your job description."_

 _I turned to face her, placing my elbow on the bed and leaning my head against my open palm. My other hand reached out to caress hers._

 _"Well, you should have told me when I signed up for the job, then."_

 _Bella shrugged and inched closer until our chests pressed against each other. The feel of her soft curves against my skin was enough to chase all thoughts of cold toes away from my mind._

 _"I'm telling you now," she breathed, her chocolate eyes wide and deep and captivating. "Is that a deal breaker?"_

 _The air seemed to crackle as the playful veil of our banter slipped away into the passion that'd always lingered between us, ready to soar and explode at the hint of a spark._

 _"Hell would have to freeze over before that," I whispered and muffled her giggle, molding my lips over hers._

I blinked, the memory disappearing like vapors one could never hope to hold on to and my consciousness was jarred back into the present.

I looked at Tanya and shrugged as nonchalantly as I could manage.

"Some people are always cold."

She looked at me oddly, but said nothing more as we completed the rest of our inspection. A forensic tech walked into the room with his bag full of supplies and Tanya and I left to let him do his job in peace.

Touring the rest of the house didn't take too long because we found nothing that could help us along in the investigation. There was a back door leading into the kitchen, which then opened into the living room. Unlike the main door, this one had no camera to tell us who went in or out through that passage.

Out in the garden, Chief Jenks' men were diligently interviewing the guests. I hoped that something concrete would surface from the statements, though that was not the case too often.

A little while later, Dr. Banner was done with what he needed from the crime scene, so Billy Black's body was packed up for transport. Jacob materialized from the garden just as the body was being carried out of the house. He watched the stretcher, while I watched him.

His eyes were detached, unfocussed, but a few tears slipped out as Banner's team took their leave. He wiped them away with a rough dash of his hand. Turning slowly on his heels, his gaze swept the room, and I wondered if he was looking for Bella.

But then he zeroed in on me. He strutted over to where Tanya and I stood, still looking a little dazed.

"Could we do this now?" he asked us. His voice shook slightly, as did his hand before he pushed it into his pocket.

Tanya looked to me for confirmation before nodding at him. "Of course. Where can we talk privately?"

"Follow me, please." Jacob headed down the hall and we followed, past the kitchen and over to a small, cozy room that I could only classify as another study. This one, however, was nowhere near as opulent or organized as Billy's was. This room had an eclectic mix of furniture — a cherry wood table and a few chairs and shelves scattered around it.

Definitely not Billy's taste.

Jacob took one of the chairs and indicated that Tanya and I should do the same.

The door opened behind us as soon as we'd sat. I turned and met Bella's eyes as she stepped in hesitantly.

"Come over, Bella," Jacob called. He patted the chair closest to him, and Bella took it.

I nodded at Tanya, indicating for her to take the lead. She shifted in her seat, leaning forward to meet Jacob's eyes as she steepled her fingers together on her knees.

"Firstly, I'm very sorry for your loss, Mr. Black," she began, her voice soft. "I understand that you've had no time to grieve, but we'd just like to get the details from you while they're still fresh in your mind. We can stop anytime you'd like, but I hope you'll co-operate with us."

"I understand," Jacob said simply. He brushed his hair back from his forehead before asking Tanya to go on.

She started with the easier question. "We've taken note of the layout of your house. Mr. Black, you were in your bedroom before you went downstairs, is that correct?"

"Yes. I was there for at least two hours before I went down. It took me barely twenty minutes to get dressed, but my father and my sister were insistent that we follow all the traditions — you know, how the groom isn't supposed to see the bride until she walks down the aisle. They'd made me promise to stay in my room until it was time. I kept saying that Bella isn't even on the same floor, so really, what are the odds of us bumping into each other? But my father . . . was a stickler for rules — to the point of being unreasonable. Resistance was always futile," Jacob finished, a strangely bitter expression clouding over his features.

"Was he happy with the union?" I asked, keeping my eyes trained on Jacob.

He stared back blankly. "What?"

"Was your father happy with this marriage?" I clarified.

Understanding dawned on Jacob's face and his mouth twisted into a wry smile. "He was ecstatic. We all knew his illness had . . . progressed beyond the point where medical science could help him. We rushed the wedding because he really wanted to be able to see us getting married," he whispered in a broken voice. "My father loved Bella like a daughter; he always had."

"Of course," Tanya murmured comfortingly. "I take it you know each other since childhood, given Mr. Black and Senator Swan's lifelong friendship."

My head swiveled as I gaped at Tanya, wondering where the hell she had gleaned that little tidbit from.

Get a fucking grip, Cullen.

I raked a hand through my hair, reminding myself of the fact that Tanya had probably followed the wedding and the story behind it through gossip magazines.

"Exactly," Jacob said, and I pinned my attention on him once again. "He was overjoyed that after having been close for decades, my marriage to Bella would unite our families forever. Charlie would've been happy, too, had he been with us today."

I couldn't help but glance at Bella as Jacob said that. Her eyes were closed, and I watched, helpless, as her mouth quivered with unshed tears.

In that moment, I loathed Jacob Black more than ever.

I knew how even a casual mention of her father's name never failed to evoke a surge of emotion in Bella's heart. In the past, any time she'd talk about him, there would always be an almost palpable note of respect and love in her voice and in her eyes. He had been her entire world. Even after his passing, I could never imagine that bond getting any weaker.

On a day like today, no doubt that the loss of her father would be weighing heavily on Bella's mind. Reminding her of his absence was bound to cause her pain.

As her fiancé, Jacob Black ought to have known that.

Bella managed to compose herself a few seconds later and cleared her throat.

"Why did you ask that?" she murmured as her eyes flickered toward mine. "About Billy's feelings with regard to the wedding."

"We're trying to ascertain whether this was an accident or a murder," I answered her.

Jacob's brow furrowed. "So basically you're looking for a reason he'd inject himself with drugs today? That's what happened to him, isn't it?"

"We can only be sure after the autopsy, but by the looks of it, cocaine seems to have been the reason behind his death," Tanya stated. "You're right — we're trying to figure out if this was a regular habit for Mr. Black."

"I highly doubt it," Jacob replied, shaking his head. "My father was a very disciplined man, Agents. Alcohol was one of his vices, but drugs . . . he hated them and anyone who partook of them. In fact, it was one of the reasons he kicked my sister out."

"Your sister? Isn't she here somewhere with her son?" I inquired.

"That would be Rachel, my older sister. I'm talking about Rebecca. She's two years younger than me. Like I said, Dad broke off all ties with her when he found out she had been using. We haven't heard from her in years."

"So according to you, Mr. Black wouldn't have been using for long. What about more recently? Has there been any change in his behavior patterns? Someone or something that triggered a breakdown?" I suggested. "Because I see no other reason for him to be doing this to himself on the day of the wedding he was supposedly excited about."

"I hear what you're saying, but I'm sorry. I can't think of anything." He turned to Bella. "Did you notice anything?"

"No," she answered, turning to Tanya and me. "Billy was nothing but happy about this. He kept checking in with our wedding planner and Rachel, who were organizing the whole event to the smallest details. Just a couple of days ago, he'd called me into his study—" she sniffled once, swallowing hard before continuing "—and told me how happy he was to officially welcome me into the family. He knew how lonely I'd been after Dad was gone, and he told me that while he'd never be able to take Dad's place, he'd do his best to always be there for me like a father should." Bella's voice broke toward the end, and she buried her face in her palms.

I watched as Jacob reached his hand out toward her, only to stop short and slowly drop it back to his lap. I pursed my lips at the exchange, but continued the questioning.

"We'll take your word for it," I said. "Then there was no reason why Mr. Black would take this step himself. If you believe that he didn't do drugs, that means we're looking at murder here."

Jacob's eyes widened slightly. "Are you sure?"

"What other option is there, Sir? If your father was genuinely happy in his final days, there was no reason for him to commit suicide. Given your vehement denial about the drugs, as well as it being completely out of character for someone like Mr. Billy Black, an accident is also not likely."

"Why?" His face was ashen. "Who would do this to him?"

"Are there any particular names that stand out to you?" Tanya prompted. "Someone who had a grudge against your father?"

"I can't think of anyone," Jacob said before he looked at Bella questioningly. She bit her lip and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but me neither," she told us.

"He was happy," Jacob muttered suddenly, banging his fist against the arm rest. "When he was diagnosed with an advanced stage of cirrhosis, we all had a few bleak weeks. But the day Bella and I announced our engagement, it breathed a new spark of life into Dad. Gradually, he came to peace with his disease and was willing to enjoy whatever time he had left with his family. This isn't fair!" He jumped to his feet, kicking his chair back and knotting his fingers in his hair as he started to pace along the length of the room.

Silence fell upon us. Tanya and I shared a wordless glance, and I could tell we were both thinking the same thing.

Uncomfortable though this might be, we weren't done yet.

Bella stood and walked over to him, placing her hand on his back. It halted him in his steps, and he turned to face her with anguished eyes. She sighed, taking his hand before glancing at us.

"Is that all for now, Agents?" she asked. "I'm sorry, but clearly, we could use some time to regain our bearings."

"That's alright," Tanya assured her as we both stood. "We'll get back to you once we have the autopsy results. In the meantime, please let us know if there's anything else you can recall which might help us."

"We will."

"Just two more things," I announced, and Jacob looked up anxiously. "Based on what you've told us, you had to have been in your room during the window of death. If this was indeed a murder and if you had the door open, the culprit couldn't have gone into Mr. Black's room without drawing your attention."

He stared at me, alarm reflecting on his face. "My door was open," he whispered finally. "But I didn't see anything."

"Is there any other way to get into the study? Did you step out for a moment when you might've missed them?"

He shook his head silently, his distraught eyes meeting Bella's as they struggled to make sense of the situation.

"Who was the last person to leave your room before you came down?" Tanya asked.

"It was Rachel," Jacob said with a frown. "But she went back downstairs. I saw her go down the stairs and heard her stupid heels clanking as she walked out of the house, too."

"What time was this?"

"Probably around 10 a.m.? She didn't come back up — as far as I know, no one did. Rachel was very busy with the preparations and welcoming the guests as they arrived."

Tanya and I shared a look. Dr. Banner's estimation put the time of death between 11 a.m. and noon.

"Then whoever it was, they went up a little while after that."

"I-I don't know what to say," Jacob murmured. "I'll try casting my mind back, but it's of no use. I didn't notice anyone else passing through the hallway, and I didn't leave the room."

"What's the other thing?" Bella cut in suddenly. "You said there were two things you needed to talk about."

"Right. The second thing . . ." I paused for just a second. "Your security systems and the personnel at the gate seemed quite proficient. If there is a murderer to be found, it is quite likely that they were someone from the guest list or one of the catering staff. The chances of this being an outsider's job are slim to none."

Bella swallowed. "That makes sense," she agreed.

"We'll need a copy of the guest list as well as the names of the entire staff present on the estate. If one of the regulars was absent today, we'll need their information, too," Tanya told her.

"Didn't the other officers already speak to them?" Jacob questioned wearily. "I've already dealt with far too many snobs complaining of the inconvenience of interrogations. Their bitching is the last thing our family needs today."

"The local PD was interviewing them, but we'll also dig deeper, if required, because in a case like this, witnesses are our best bet. With so many people present, someone had to have seen something. We just have to ask the right questions to the right person," I explained.

Bella turned to Jacob. "Don't worry about them. Why don't you go and rest for a while, okay?" He attempted to protest, but she shushed him before turning her attention to me. "I'll print out the list for you. I'll also speak to our wedding planner, Mrs. Cope and have her send you the names of all the people who were working here today."

"Thank you," was what I said, but all I could think about was that if I could find a way to keep Tanya distracted, I might be lucky enough to steal a moment alone with her.

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 **A/N: The plot thickens.**

 **Just a side note – I recently received a PM suggesting that I should mark this fic as Angst, too. Well, I suppose that's not entirely wrong. I think you all know by now that this isn't going to be fluff. I'm going to put it up in the genre as well, but if you've read my other fics and/or followed me on FB, you know my CARDINAL rule about the ending. That still applies.**

 **Expect the next scheduled update on time ;) This one was just a bonus.**

 **For teasers and pics related to each chapter, join us in my FB group – FANFICTION BY FOREVERROBSESSED.**

 **Until next time,**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**

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 **FIC REC - Truths, Lies and Alibis by Eternally Addicted – FBI psychologist Bella Swan is being stalked by one of criminals she helped put behind bars. Forced to leave her home and lay low for a while, she meets the most gorgeous man she has ever seen. Is he who he says he is, or is he working for the stalker?**


	4. Chapter 4 : Scratching the Surface

**A/N: As always, sending all my gratitude to Pamela and Ninkita for everything they do for this story.**

 **DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight. My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

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 **CHAPTER 4  
**

 **SCRATCHING THE SURFACE**

Tanya rolled her shoulders as we walked out to a shaded spot under a large tree in the corner of the garden. Several meters away, I noticed a few men in black and white uniforms roaming around, stacking the chairs off on one side, while three women worked on dismantling the floral arch, under which, I supposed, the ceremony was supposed to have taken place.

"Maybe they'll pick City Hall next time," my partner commented dryly.

I side-eyed her. "The marriage will be the last thing on their minds. I think they have more pertinent matters to attend to at the moment."

I didn't know which one of us I was trying to convince of that notion.

"Didn't you hear what they said?" She turned to face me with raised eyebrows. "The father was _ecstatic_ about the match. I bet they'll give in to the sentimentality of the whole thing and get married tomorrow to fulfil his dying wish or something."

"Can we just focus on our jobs?" I snapped at her, immediately regretting it when she gasped in shock. I closed my eyes for a moment, begging whatever higher power was listening to help me hold onto my composure. "I'm sorry, Tan."

"What is with you today? You seem . . ." She squinted, searching for the right word. ". . . distracted."

"Sorry," I said again, rubbing my temples. "It's just the after effects from last night's scotch. I'll get over it."

"You do that. McCarty's going to want an update as soon as we're back. I need you on top of your game."

I lifted my hand in a salute. "I'll get right onto it," I told her, sarcasm lacing my tone.

She shook her head. "Anyway, we've talked to them at length now. What's your take?"

"Jacob seems genuine enough. Not too bright, though, because he kept insisting that this couldn't have been an accident, but didn't even consider murder as a possibility? How the fuck did he manage that?"

Tanya frowned, looking around to make sure no one had heard me. As if I would've said anything with someone in hearing distance. "Don't you think you're being too hard on him? The man just lost his father on what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. The mind doesn't work right in such situations."

"Now you sound like Banner."

"Shut up. You wanted to talk about the case, I'm talking about the case. Stick to it. What about the bride?"

"What about her?" I hedged.

"She seemed honest when she talked about her interaction with Billy. She's known him since she was a kid. She's marrying his son. I don't see any motive there."

"We've barely scratched the surface," I said and looked around, hoping for a distraction. "Shouldn't we head to the bureau? What are we waiting for?"

"Oh, we have to speak to Rachel Black," Tanya explained. "She's got a toddler who's not doing so well right now. I figured it would be more convenient to interview her here. I ran into her in the hallway while you ended up in Miss Swan's room, and she told me— over the awful racket of her son's cries— she'd like to speak to us."

"Convenient for her, you mean."

She threw me an irritated glance. "You know as well as I do McCarty is going to want to treat this family right— _his_ definition of right. I'm just making sure he gets no excuse to nail our asses for treating the crème de la crème with anything less than the respect they deserve," she announced, using the words McCarty had thrown at us in our last high-profile case.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered before something else I'd meant to bring up with Tanya popped into my mind. "I noticed you seem to know a lot about this family."

"It's mostly through society gossip magazines and websites. They're frequenters there," she said with a simple shrug. "You'd know, too, if you bothered to have a life outside of work."

I ignored the jibe, folding my arms across my chest. "Anything relevant to the case pop up recently?"

"Hmm, not really." She pursed her lips in consideration. "They've only been raving about the wedding of the year. Given Jacob's past, his decision to settle down came as a shock to many."

My eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"He was pretty much—" she looked around, checking for eavesdroppers again before whispering "— a man-whore before he got into a relationship with Isabella Swan. Every party he attended, he'd show up with a different girl on his arm. I think _The Society Diaries_ even did a feature on the number of women he'd been seen with, and while I don't recall the exact number, I know their pictures spanned over three pages. There were even rumors about a possible threesome he had when he was found entering a hotel hand-in-hand with a blonde bombshell and another one following closely behind."

My eyes traversed the grounds as Tanya clued me in on Jacob's past. Every word she spoke nagged at me, rattling my thoughts into a jumble.

The Bella I knew would never have given someone like Jacob Black the time of the day.

The Bella I knew believed in true love and all that it entailed with the one person meant for you.

The Bella I knew would've taught Jacob a lesson about treating women right and yelled at him until he changed his philandering ways.

Clearly, I knew nothing about the new Isabella Swan.

Tanya and I discussed a few pertinent points about the crime scene, but neither of us had any particular insights that could give us a lead we could follow. We halted our discussion when a soft voice called for our attention.

I turned around to see a slim woman dressed in a peach dress, her black hair tied up in a twist on the top of her head. Her eyes were hazel and red-rimmed, the make-up on her face unevenly washed away by the tear tracks running down her russet skin. Her fingers twisted and untwisted around a much-abused piece of tissue paper.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that this was Rachel Black.

"You asked to speak with me, Agent?" she addressed Tanya in a broken murmur, but her eyes flickered to me, too.

"Miss Black, yes, if you don't mind." Tanya stepped forward with a small smile.

"Call me Rachel, please. Come with me."

She led us a few steps away to where a large evergreen loomed tall and proud, gifting the expanse of the garden under it with the gentle blessing of its shade. Underneath the tree was a wooden bench. Rachel took a seat on it and motioned for Tanya and me to do the same.

"I'm sorry I didn't quite catch your name back then," she started, looking between Tanya and me uncertainly. "My son was just . . . he was distraught, and I couldn't focus on anything else."

"We understand, ma'am," Tanya assured her. "I'm Agent Tanya Denali and this is my partner, Agent Edward Cullen. We will do our best to find out who did this to your father."

Rachel frowned. "Did this _to_ him? I thought this was an accident. I mean, that doctor was saying . . . But you think . . ." she trailed off in a whisper.

"We can only be more certain once we have the autopsy results, but for now, we're not ruling it out, ma'am," I told her gently.

She nodded once, eyes wide and troubled. "I'm sorry I'm not making any sense. _None_ of this is making any sense. I can't believe . . . My father was a good man, Agents. I can't think of anyone who'd do this to him."

I shared a look with Tanya. "That's actually something we wanted to ask you. We asked your brother, too, but he couldn't tell us of anyone in particular who held a grudge against your father. Would you have any information in that regard? Can you recall anything out of the ordinary about his behavior recently?"

She shook her head, one hand coming up to cover her trembling lips. "No, there was nothing. He was so happy about Jacob's and Isabella's wedding. He was constantly checking in with me about the decorations and the flowers and the food and . . ." She sniffled. "This was the happiest I've seen him since he was diagnosed."

"Maybe something at work, then? Maybe a past employee, business associate or a rival harboring resentment?" Tanya suggested.

"My father was rigid about his principles, but very fair in his dealings," Rachel told us, clearing her throat and wiping at her cheeks as she composed herself. "I'll try to wrack my mind, but I doubt there was anyone who could've wanted to do this to him. He was a good man," she reiterated earnestly. "He took Seth and me in when we had nowhere else to go. Please, if this was . . . if he didn't do this to himself, then you _have_ to find out who did."

"We'll do everything we can," I promised. "If you don't mind me asking, Seth is your son?"

"Yes, he's four. He's the best part of my life," she replied softly. Her mouth curled up into a tiny smile, though her eyes still remained wistful. My gaze drifted to her fingers, still tearing the tissue paper apart.

"And his father?" I prodded and watched as her face fell.

"Paul Lahote."

Tanya sat up straighter. "Paul Lahote as in . . ."

"I can tell from your expression that you've heard of him," Rachel commented with a wry grimace. "He's one of the worst choices I've made."

I didn't know who this man was or how Tanya had come to know of him, so I made a mental note to ask her later. The conversation had been enough to clue me in on the fact that Lahote was not a man up to any good.

"You said Mr. Black took you in when you had nowhere else to go," I stated. "Did that have anything to do with Mr. Lahote?"

"He left Seth and me in a bad situation. If Dad hadn't been there for us, I don't know what I would've done."

"Could Mr. Lahote be holding a grudge because of that? Is it possible that he had something to do with this?"

"I doubt it, Agent," she answered, sighing tiredly. "Last I heard, he was in prison. I don't think he has been released yet."

"We'll look into it," Tanya told her. "Just one last thing. Your brother didn't see anyone passing through the hall after you went downstairs. He told us and we verified that there was no other way to reach the study."

"That's right," she confirmed quietly. "I was checking if Jacob needed anything before I went out to the garden to keep a watch on the final preparations. There's just so many things that could go wrong at weddings, so . . ." Her voice dimmed until it drifted into silence.

"What time would you say this was?"

"It was just a few minutes past ten," she answered. "I'm sure of it because I was constantly dealing with the caterers on my phone, and there was something wrong with the damn chicken. It was a race against the clock to get everything done in time."

"Did anyone pass you by on the stairs while you were headed down, or was there anything unusual you noticed?" I asked. "Dr. Banner's estimate puts the time of death about an hour after you left the floor."

Rachel's brow furrowed for a moment as she considered her response. "No, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Nobody passed me on the stairs. Mrs. Cope found me in the living room, and we walked out to the garden. I didn't go upstairs after that until Jacob found . . ."

Tanya glanced at me, and I nodded. She turned to Rachel and said, "I think that'll be all for now, ma'am. Thank you for your co-operation. Here's my card. If you recollect anything that might be significant, don't hesitate to give us a call."

Rachel stood with us and accepted the card. "Thank you, Agents. I know you must hear this from every family, but . . . please find out who did this," she choked out.

"Rest assured, ma'am, we'll do our best," Tanya said.

"Excuse me."

We turned at the sound of Bella's voice. She stepped forward tentatively and looked at Rachel.

"Seth woke up," Bella informed her softly. "I tried to get him to sleep again, but he's asking for you."

Rachel sighed, rubbing her palm over her forehead. "He was absolutely hysterical earlier. I tried to hide the news from him, but he overheard someone talking about it and hasn't stopped asking what happened to Grandpa ever since. I don't know how to calm him down. I just . . ." She shook her head, looking a bit lost. She nodded at us in parting and started walking toward the house.

Silence lingered for a few seconds as our eyes followed Rachel's slow, shuffling gait until she was inside.

"Here," Bella said finally, holding out a piece of paper. "This is a print out of the guest list. I've spoken to Mrs. Cope. She's still a little shaken, but I'll get her to send you the names of her entire staff as soon as possible."

I stretched my arm to take it from her. She didn't let go, so my fingers brushed hers. Our eyes met, and for a moment, all I could feel was the soft warmth of her fingertips brushing against mine.

Locked in her gaze, I drowned in the onslaught of memories and yearning, tugging and pushing at me every which way, leaving me breathless.

If I could, I would've clasped her hand in mine and pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face in her hair until the last six years were annihilated from my mind. I would've tipped her head up and pressed my lips to hers, drowning in her until the pain of losing her and longing for her became nothing but a distant memory. I would've told her how much I loved her, how I'd _always_ loved her, and how I'd lost a part of myself the day I'd walked away from her.

But I couldn't.

She had a fiancé.

And I had no right.

"Thank you," I murmured, pulling back. "We'll be in touch."

There were more questions than answers in the depths of her eyes as she nodded. My parting words lingered in the air between us as we looked at each other, hidden meanings and intentions swimming in my mind, and probably hers, too.

 _Yes, I was certainly going to be in touch._

 _As soon as possible._

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 **A/N: I know Ninkita has lots of theories cooking already. Chapter-wise, Pamela is way ahead of you guys, so she already knows half of it ;) I'm curious about your thoughts, though.**

 **Next time, we'll head to the Bureau and start digging.**

 **For teasers and pics related to the chapters, join us in my FB group – Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. The link is on my profile.  
**

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 **FIC REC – Once Bitten by Elise de Sallier –** **Edward finally meets the love of his existence but can't resist her singer's blood. Can their fairytale love survive a horror beginning or will Bella's newborn grief, an outraged wolf pack, and the offended Volturi deny them their happily ever after?**


	5. Chapter 5 : Delving Deeper

**A/N: Endless thanks to Pamela for cheering me on and Ninkita for making sure my words make sense.**

 **Remaining mistakes are all mine.**

 **For pics, teasers, and updates, come join us on FB at 'Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed' (Link is on my profile)** **We have a silver fox-y Emmett McCarty waiting for you over there . . . Just saying.**

 **DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight.  
My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

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 **CHAPTER 5**

 **DELVING DEEPER**

"What's the deal with Paul Lahote?" I questioned as soon as Tanya and I were on the road.

She twisted in her seat to face me. "Remember Mark?"

"Mark from Narc?"

"That's the one," she confirmed with a chuckle. "While I was with him, his unit was tracking down some big fish in the gangs operating upstate. He didn't say much at the time, of course, but once the operations were over, he shared a few details with me. They couldn't get too far with the boss, but they managed to snag quite a few lackeys. Paul Lahote was one of them."

"So he's a drug dealer?"

"Pretty much, though I remember Mark whining about how they could get him on Possession, but nothing more."

"This must've been a couple of years ago, right?" I asked, and she nodded. "Your memory is impressive as ever. Rachel barely mentioned his name and you'd already connected the dots."

Tanya smirked. "Well, I'm not one to refuse a compliment, but in this case, I remember the details so well because it was what led me to give Mark from Narc the boot."

I looked at her with a raised brow before turning my attention back to the road. "Lucky for us, I guess."

"The man just wouldn't shut up," she complained. "When I leave the office, I'd like to leave the work behind. Every time he'd come over, he'd just start talking about stupid crack-heads or meth-heads and god-knows-what-heads. If I managed to make him stop talking about his cases, he'd just ask about mine. There were times I had to stuff a tit in his mouth to make him stop talking."

I grimaced. "Did I really need to have that image in my head?"

"You'd be lucky to have that image in your head."

I threw her a scowl, and she winked.

"Lighten up, Edward," she chided me. "Anyway, the point is that Lahote is a dirtbag. I can't imagine Billy Black being happy about his daughter having had any association with him, let alone a relationship and a kid. There could definitely have been some tension there, and if Billy used his influence to get Lahote in prison, I'd say that's motive enough for us."

"Using cocaine to kill him could've been the last slap in the face that Lahote wanted to deliver," I added.

"I'll follow up on him as soon as we get to the office."

"McCarty will be waiting to pounce, so maybe we can get that over with first."

"Absolutely," Tanya agreed. "I'll hand this guest list over to Jasper so he can start digging."

An hour later, we pulled into the parking lot and made our way into the building that housed the Bureau of Investigation. I nodded at a few of our colleagues as Tanya and I headed straight toward McCarty's office.

Assistant Director Emmett McCarty had an exemplary record in his twenty-five years long tenure, and his self-confidence was evident in every plane of his face – from the sharp, keen grey eyes to the firm set of his mouth, the man radiated poise and control. His six and a half feet tall, bulky frame had intimidated hundreds of criminals in the past, and now, he continued to use it to his advantage to keep his officers in check.

As we entered his office, McCarty shut his laptop, adjusted his thin-rimmed glasses and bade us to sit. He locked his fingers on his desk and gave us his undivided attention.

"I don't think it was an accident, Boss," I started right away, knowing that he preferred to get straight to the point.

"Banner seems to think it is," he countered, before turning to Tanya.

"I don't know," she answered his unspoken question. "We talked to the family, and Mr. Black seems to have a history of prejudice against drugs. He was happy about the wedding, too, so there seems to have been no reason for him to shoot up on the occasion. On the other hand, with the layout of that floor of the house, no-one could've gone into the study without Jacob Black noticing. He says he saw nothing. I don't see how someone could've done it."

"Is it possible that Jacob missed something? Maybe he went downstairs or to the bathroom?" McCarty asked, and I shook my head.

"He was adamant that he didn't leave the room. But I think, no matter what he says, he must've missed it. Maybe he got busy gelling that shiny hair in place, and the killer walked right past his door," I suggested. I was trying to sound neutral, but I didn't quite manage to mask the venom in my voice. Tanya turned to me with narrowed eyes.

"What?"

"Why do you hate that guy?"

I glowered at her. "I don't hate him. I just think he isn't too bright. We shouldn't take his word and rule murder out just because he didn't notice something."

McCarty held up a hand. "We're not ruling anything out. There're a lot of eyes on this one, and we're going to cross our t's and dot our i's and cover every last bit of our asses."

We discussed more details, briefing him on all aspects of the crime scene before he dismissed us with the order to keep him posted.

Tanya threw herself into her chair when we reached our desks. She swiveled from one side to another, looking at me with pursed lips.

"Is something the matter?" I asked while turning my computer on.

"You tell me," she shot back. "I've never seen you like this."

I avoided her eyes, rifling through the drawer. "Like what?"

"Like this."

Sighing in defeat, I turned to face her. "What are you saying?"

"I don't know. Something's different. I can't pinpoint it, but . . . something's different about you," she finished with a shrug. "And if I've gotten to know you at all, I'm aware that there's no point in asking."

"Great. Maybe your intervention from this morning is making a difference, huh?"

She shook her head but didn't reply, just peering at me for another moment before turning to her computer. "I'll get started on the Lahote angle."

"Where the hell is Jasper?" I asked, only to receive a tap on my shoulder.

"Right here, boss," he announced, dropping a few files on my desk.

"What's this?"

"Details on the fam." He walked around the desk and pulled up a chair facing Tanya and me. "I got the cliff notes version from Banner and realized that no-one but the people in attendance for the wedding had access to the house. So I figured I'd start with the family."

Tanya handed him the sheet of paper Bella had given us. "Here's the guest list. Anything suspicious pop up in the family tree?"

Jasper scratched the back of his head, ruffling his shaggy blond locks. "Ah, I haven't had the chance to review it all yet. I just got them printed. The digital copies are in your inboxes."

I glanced through the first page of each file, pausing when my sight fell on Bella's name. I swallowed, ghosting my thumb over her DMV photo before turning the page.

"Edward and I will look into it," Tanya said, and I nodded. "Jasper, I'll need you to make your way down the guest list and then the catering staff."

"Not a problem. Do we have the staff names yet?" Jasper asked, walking toward his desk.

"No, the wedding planner was, apparently, in shock, so the bride promised to have her send it to us soon."

"Why don't we speak to her anyway?" I suggested, putting Bella's file aside. "Mrs. Cope, right?"

"That's right," Tanya confirmed. "You want me to call her in?"

"Or we could go see her, either way. She was supposed to be flitting around through the house all day, so maybe she saw something."

"It's possible. Let me check in on Paul Lahote, then I'll get onto Mrs. Cope. There's also some footage from the security camera on the main door, but there was nothing on the back door. We can scrub the tapes and hope for the best."

"I'll start by diving into the family files."

I picked up Rachel's file first. Most of the information in there had been recorded during Lahote's trial. I caught the gist — they'd been together for nearly six years. Seth had been two when Paul suddenly found himself in police custody. Rachel had claimed to be blindsided about his wrongdoings, and no proof was found to contradict her statement. I had no doubt that Billy Black would've pulled some strings to make sure his daughter and grandchild suffered as little as possible during the investigation, but even otherwise, the lack of evidence in their apartment made it clear that Paul Lahote had kept his family away from his shady business.

I considered speaking to McCarty about the case. Maybe he'd know if Billy had been instrumental in throwing her daughter's deadbeat boyfriend behind the bars.

"Edward," Tanya called, and I looked up from the papers.

"Yeah?"

"Paul Lahote didn't do this," she told me. "He's still in prison and will remain there for the next six months. I'll ask for the visitor and phone logs, but the warden doesn't have anything unusual to report."

I cursed under my breath. "I liked him for it. He had the motive. The modus operandi would've suited him, too."

"But no opportunity," Tanya commented. "Plus, his rap sheet isn't too sordid. There's just this and one B and E charge from ten years ago. Do you really think he's likely to move up to murder?"

"When there's bruised ego and a kid involved, maybe," I answered. "He might've been a lackey, but that doesn't mean he hasn't got friends on the outside who could've done this for him. We should look into his known associates, maybe check in with Narc Mark."

Tanya rolled her eyes. "I'll send Jasper, thank you very much. I'll dig deeper. We can cross-reference the list of attendees with Lahote's associates."

"Sounds like a plan."

I moved on to Jacob's file, but there wasn't much to go on. He'd been to Ivy League schools, before joining his father's company. He had made his way up to the position of a CEO, and Billy Black had remained the Chairperson of the entire corporation.

Billy's file revealed nothing that wasn't already in the public domain. I pulled up his medical records and found nothing of interest. There were no signs of any episodes that could hint at drug abuse. I doubted Dr. Banner would find anything in the autopsy, either. From everything I'd come to know about the man, I was inclined to believe Jacob that he wasn't using regularly.

I knew that there was still a minute chance that he had done so for the first time today and grossly miscalculated the amount he should take. However, such a break in character would've required a big enough reason. Until we found it, I couldn't stomach the theory.

Two hours later, Tanya groaned, rolling her shoulders and stretching her legs.

"Any luck?" I asked her.

"Nope," she sighed. "I looked into the database and picked out every person I could find having been associated with Lahote. Some are in prison, some are out, but I can't find anything to connect them to the wedding."

I was about to reply, when my phone chimed with an e-mail. I grabbed it, swiping my thumb across the screen to unlock it.

My heart leapt into my throat when I saw a name I'd never expected to see.

 _Isabella Swan_

"Sorry, Tan, give me a sec." I didn't wait for her response before I jumped to my feet and headed to the pantry. Looking around, I made sure that I was alone before opening the mail.

 _Edward,_

 _I've attached a copy of the staff as given to me by Mrs. Cope's assistant._

 _I hope it helps you and your team._

 _~Bella_

Years of loneliness and anguish swirled in my mind while I opened the doc and glanced at the list.

Countless times, I'd prayed for her name to pop up in my email or messages. I had another account for work, but for all these years, I'd never deactivated this account- the one I'd had since college.

The id that Bella knew.

As months and years passed without a message, I realized exactly how pathetic I was to be hanging on to a relationship that'd ceased to exist the moment we'd walked away from each other.

Yet, I'd never been able to stop myself from checking that account every few months. It was the same address I used to keep in touch with my family. I told myself it was to keep my personal and professional lives separate.

While that was a true enough reason, the one I didn't admit to myself was that it'd give me an excuse to keep checking the account periodically.

Today, Bella had finally used it.

The fact that rattled me was that it meant she _still_ had my contact information. I'd imagined a hundred scenarios where she would've lost it, leaving her unable to communicate with me. At least it would mean that her hands were tied, not that she simply didn't want to.

Now, it was clear that the radio silence had been a deliberate move on her part.

With a deep breath, I forwarded the doc to my bureau account, and from there, I sent a copy to Jasper.

When I returned to my desk, Tanya peered at me curiously.

"Just had to take a call. I thought I recognized the number, but it turned out to be some telemarketer," I lied. "Jasper, I sent you the staff list."

"Yeah, I see it," he replied. "I'll get onto it."

I released a sigh of relief when Tanya didn't question my disappearance and moved on. "I called Mrs. Cope's number, and her assistant answered. Apparently, she's being shifted to a hospital," she informed me.

I frowned. "What the hell happened?"

"They don't think it's anything major, but she's still feeling light-headed. I mean, the woman is over sixty years old. Maybe this was too much excitement for her. Although, aren't all weddings infused with drama?"

"I'd think this must've been a little more than what she usually bargains for, Tanya."

"Anyway, this means that we can't see her until tomorrow. Or, at least, until the doctors have made sure she's alright," Tanya stated.

"That's fine. We have the Lahote angle to follow for now. In fact, Dr. Banner will probably have something for us soon, so that'll keep us busy until tomorrow."

"Can't wait," she muttered with a shake of her head, and I had to chuckle.

We rounded up the list of attendees and the staff, but, on the surface, nothing appeared suspicious. Probably an interview with Mrs. Cope would shed some light on where we could go from there.

Tanya continued to look into Lahote's associates, while Jasper and I examined the interviews conducted by the local PD at the scene. I wasn't surprised to find that everybody had been busy with their own thing and hadn't observed anything that could give us new leads. I told Jasper to obtain the pictures taken by the guests on their phones or cameras, hoping that they could point us in the right direction.

The security camera feeds revealed nothing important. We saw Rachel walk out with Mrs. Cope just as she'd said. After that, two women from the catering staff entered and exited through the main door, but they barely stayed inside for a minute. There was no way they could've headed to the study and back.

The killer didn't walk in through the front door.

We spoke with Dr. Banner, and based on the examination he'd conducted so far, he was sticking to his theory. He confirmed that the cause of death had been cocaine overdose. There were no signs of a struggle to be found on Billy's body, nothing to indicate that he had been forced to inject himself. Banner had yet to run some blood tests, and I was hoping that they could shed more light on the lack of physical findings.

When evening fell, there was nothing more to be done for the day. McCarty asked for an update and agreed that the Lahote angle could be probable before taking his leave.

Tanya and Jasper bid me goodbye as they headed out. I lingered near my desk, checking to make sure that there were no eyes on me before pulling Bella's file out of my desk.

There, in the third column from the top lay her cell phone number.

My hand shook as I fished my phone out of my pocket and carefully entered the digits in the keypad before heading out.

Once I'd reached home, my finger hovered over the 'Call' sign, my heart thudding in my chest as I hesitated. My mind drifted to the memory of the day after my first date with Bella.

" _Edward, look, I'm glad you had a good time, but there are some rules, dude."_

" _Fuck the rules!" I snapped, pacing the room while Garrett looked on with irritation. "I liked her a lot, and I'm pretty sure she liked me, too. I can't think of anything but her, and I'm going to make sure she knows it. Life's too short to waste time playing games."_

" _You can't act so fucking desperate. Girls don't like that. I'm not asking you to not call her, but give it two or three days at least. Calling her so soon is nothing but lame."_

 _I wanted to throw the phone at his head, but I needed it for what I was about to do, regardless of Garrett's rules._

" _She's not like that, man. She was the most genuine, out-there person I've ever met."_

 _He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "One date and you're an expert on the lady?"_

" _I'm just saying that she isn't one for dating politics and shit. She'll appreciate my honesty."_

 _He threw his hands up. "What the fuck ever. It's your decision. Don't come whining to me if she blows you off."_

 _I scowled at him and unlocked my phone to dial Bella's number. Just then, it started vibrating in my hand. Pissed at whoever was delaying my plans, I swiped it and held it to my ear without even looking at the caller id._

" _Hello," I practically growled into the phone._

" _Uh . . . is this a bad time?"_

 _My eyes widened and my anger evaporated at the sound of Bella's voice._

" _No, no," I rushed to tell her as I walked into my room and shut the door. "Hey, Bella."_

 _She giggled. "Hey there. Is everything alright? You picked up the phone awfully fast."_

 _I felt my lips pull up into a smile at her upbeat tone. It disarmed me completely, and I found myself blurting out the truth about why my phone was in my hand._

 _Fortunately, Bella just laughed. "Well, I'm glad you seem to have gotten to know me so well. You're right. I don't believe in waiting needlessly to go after what I want. Since I woke up with a smile this morning, I know that I want to spend more time with you."_

" _I can't argue with that, especially when last night was the best date I've ever had."_

" _Oh, now we have something to top. I'm up for the challenge if you are." I could imagine the twinkle in her eyes as she teased me._

" _How about tomorrow evening? Does that work for you? I could pick you up at seven."_

" _Perfect."_

I drew in a deep breath to pull myself together. The image of Bella in her wedding dress, questions and mysteries swimming in her eyes danced behind my lids.

I needed answers.

Without giving myself another second to rethink my decision, I pressed the green button.

Anticipation thrummed along my nerves and my breath caught in my throat as the call went through. Five rings felt like a lifetime, and my eyes fell shut as I waited, wavering between hope and despair, until . . .

"Hello?"

* * *

 **A/N: Yep, I know. Horns on my head, spiky tail . . . I can feel it twitching.  
If I manage to get another chapter completed in the next two days, I'll throw in a mid-week update for you because this was a mean cliffie, even for me. *winces* **

**I've got to keep you all interested somehow.**

 **On a side note, this week brought me a few nominations at two wonderful sites:**

 _Fly With Me_ _is up for Top Ten Fics of January at twifanfictionrecs dot com AND Fic Dive at ADF_

 _Going in Blind_ _is up for the Fic Dive at ADF_

 _Disguised Intentions_ _is up for Top Ten Fics of 2016 at twifanfictionrecs dot com_

 **If you've enjoyed these stories, I'd appreciate a vote :) At twifanfictionrecs dot com, you can vote once each day.**

 **Until next time,**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**

* * *

 **FIC REC —** **Ballad of the Spinster and the Outlaw by Alby Mangroves** **—** **"Sometimes, at night, he'd walk in his meadow and look to the sky, hoping she was seeing the same full moon, the same brilliant stars." This is a story of second chances and intrepid hearts.**


	6. Chapter 6 : Pushing the Boundaries

**A/N: As always, ginormous thanks to Pamela and Ninkita.**

 **I know you're not gonna bother reading anything but the chapter :P Let's get to it.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 6**

 **PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES**

"Hello?" she said again, soft and tentative.

I cleared my throat. "B-Bella?"

A beat of pause followed while I waited anxiously.

"Edward," she whispered. "Hey."

"Are you with someone?"

"No," she replied. "I'm alone."

Silence closed in, crackling between us as I struggled to find the right words.

"Wedding, huh?"

I winced as soon as the words had left my mouth, cursing myself, then the convoluted situation and the entire world. It wasn't the best way to begin, but then I wasn't sure there was any in this fucked-up scenario.

"Edward, I . . ." She let out a sigh. "I don't think this is a conversation we can have over the phone."

"Is there someplace we could meet? I know you must be with the Blacks, and I understand it'll probably be difficult, but Bella, I need to . . . I just need to see you. Please," I murmured.

I heard her soft gasp and held my breath for a long moment while she deliberated.

"Okay," she finally replied, and relief washed over me.

I glanced at my watch, grimacing at the time. It was almost 8 p.m. "Tomorrow?" I suggested.

Bella hesitated. "Why not now?"

"I just thought . . . Well, the time . . . I didn't want to pull you away from . . ." _your fiancé._

"You're not," she replied calmly. "I'm actually at my apartment."

My brow furrowed, but Bella went on before I could comment. "I wanted to give them some time alone, just the family. God knows they need it after the day they've had."

 _But wasn't she a part of the family?_

I ignored that question in favor of another. "Alright," I said simply. "Where can we meet? Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think a public place would be right fo—"

"No," she cut in. "I get it. You're right. Would you mind if I . . .? I could come over to your place."

My eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"There's no other . . ." she trailed off softly. "If you could text me the address, I'll be there within the hour."

I swallowed, trying to contain my emotion at the thought of her being here. "Sure."

I sent her the message and then paced across my living room for the next forty-five minutes. Raking my hand through my hair, gulping down a glass of water while wishing it was something stronger, and tapping my fingers on my thigh, I fretted over every second of the slowest forty-five minutes of my life.

As I burned a hole through my carpet, I wondered if this was the right thing to do.

She had a fiancé, for fuck's sake. Hell, the man had almost become her husband today. To top that, I was investigating his father's death — a case for which, at the moment, we had no leads, making every person in that house a person of interest.

I picked up my phone and my thumb hovered over the screen as I debated calling off this whole thing. Gritting my teeth, I oscillated between what I should do and what I wanted to do. My eyes clenched shut as I battled with myself.

With a grimace, I threw the phone onto the couch, resuming my pacing and resigning myself to the fact that, right or wrong, this was happening now.

Finally, _finally_ , the sound of the buzzer pierced through my daze of anticipation and I walked to the door. I buzzed Bella in, and two minutes later, opened the door to invite her in.

With slow, tentative steps, she made her way into my home, taking in the room before turning back to face me. I shut the door behind me and gestured for her to take a seat.

We settled on the two opposite ends of the couch. I offered her a drink, which she politely declined.

My gaze travelled along her form clad in a pair of black jeans and a simple green shirt. I noted the rigid set of her shoulders, the nervous shuffling of her fingers, and the guarded veil over her bottomless eyes.

In that moment, she was closer to me than she'd been in the last six years.

And yet, as I sat there, helpless and unable to decipher the emotions etched across her features, she'd never felt farther away.

But then, I took in the soft blush that tinted her cheeks, the gentle waves of her hair left loose and careless down her back, and her pouty lower lip entrapped between her teeth, and I saw remnants of the girl I'd once known . . . _the girl I'd always loved._

Bella cleared her throat and straightened her posture. "I'm sorry for coming over so late," she murmured, her eyes darting to me for just a second before shifting away. "I just couldn't delay . . . I mean, we _had_ to talk, and I thought that if I didn't do this now, I'd lose the nerve," she finished in a whisper.

My hand curled into a fist on my knee as I suppressed the urge to hold hers.

"I know the feeling," I told her.

She threw me a tiny smile. "There're a thousand different way I imagined this going," she admitted. "But never this way."

"Tell me about it," I muttered, returning her smile, hoping I could make her more comfortable.

Silence fell around us, stretching for a few beats as I wracked my mind to find the appropriate segue to ease us into the conversation that was long overdue.

Once again, Bella made the first move to fill the silence. "I was so surprised to see you today," she told me softly. "For a moment there, I thought I was dreaming. Even when your . . . partner came in to take you upstairs, I just . . . I just couldn't believe that we were under the same roof."

"I guess I could've had better timing walking back into your life," I replied, holding her gaze. "Someone up there seems to have been in a nasty mood, making me see you today of all days."

She looked down to her lap. "I'm sorry, Edward."

I cracked a wistful smile. "You have nothing to apologize for. Obviously, there was no way you could've prevented this. I didn't know this case had anything to do with you until I saw you in that mirror. If I would've kept track of the society gossip, I suppose I cou—"

"You know that's not what I'm apologizing for," she interrupted.

Momentarily thrown by her admission, I exhaled in a gush. I said nothing until she looked up at me. "Do I, Bella? As far as I know, there's no reason why you should feel guilty. I always thought you were well aware of what you were doing and probably believed that it was the right thing to do. Whether or not I think you've done something wrong is a different matter."

My words were all over the place, tumbling from my lips in a jumble that mirrored the tumult of emotions raging through my mind. But I could see in her eyes that she understood. Her lips parted as a sob caught in her throat.

"I know now that what I did wasn't right," she admitted. "When we broke up, I truly believed that there was no bitterness, no resentment between us. I thought we did what was right at a time when choosing each other simply wasn't an option."

"That's exactly how it was for me," I asserted. "I hated myself for leaving you when you needed me, but I never resented you for making the choice that was best for you . . . the one you could live with."

"But _I_ did," she whispered, a bead of moisture slipping from her eye and rolling down the apple of her cheek. "I resented you. I didn't realize it at first, but then every time I cried, every time I sat alone in the hospital room, every time I yearned for you to hold my hand and you weren't there, a part of me died, Edward. A part of _us_ died, and bitterness seeped into my heart without me even realizing it."

My heart thudded erratically, my gut twisting as I sat there and waited for her to continue.

"I thought I hated you," she whispered sadly. "I probably did, and then I hated myself for feeling that way about you. Especially because I knew why you couldn't have come with me. It was a valid reason, Edward. It was the reason that'd been the sole purpose of your life. But it was impossible to hold on to that rationale when I was losing the man who'd once been my entire life. I held his hand and looked in his eyes as the cancer slowly and painfully sucked the life out of him. I could do nothing to stop it. In those moments, I couldn't find it in myself to be logical. All I knew was that there was only one person who could've gotten me through those torturous years **—** you. All I felt was your absence, and all I could think was that you'd chosen something else over me."

Unexpected tears marred my vision, her form blurring before me. I ducked my head before she could see the moisture in my eyes. I scrubbed a hand over my face and brushed them away as discretely as I could.

It didn't escape my notice that she never directly mentioned their names — the people we'd loved and lost. Years ago, we'd lain together in bed and confided how difficult it was to speak about the grief we'd endured. We'd only ever shared our deepest feelings on the subject with each other. I didn't know whether to rejoice or lament the fact that even today, she remembered how I could only manage to skirt around the issue if I was supposed to hold myself together and was trying not to make this too difficult for me.

When I looked up again, Bella's gaze was laced with infinite sadness as she watched me.

She drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly through pursed lips before continuing. "And then, when it was . . . over, when I finally started to regain my bearings, I was so ashamed," she confessed with a sniffle. "I was so damn ashamed of myself. I'd been a coward, and I couldn't take my actions back. Dad would've hated what I'd become, what I'd done. I was terrified of coming back to you because I thought that there would be nothing to come back to, Edward. I was barely holding myself together with tape and glue. You didn't deserve someone like that. I couldn't stop myself from imagining a horrible scenario wherein you'd have found someone else and would hate me for traipsing back into your life when I didn't belong there." She shuddered slightly. "Or else you would've taken me back, only to realize that the girl you loved didn't exist anymore. She was gone . . . and what was left was someone you probably wouldn't even want to know. I couldn't imagine the pain of losing you again, but I knew I wouldn't have survived it."

"So you just took the fucking choice entirely out of my hands?" I snapped, and she flinched. Her body shook as tears spilled down her cheeks. Her pain ripped through my chest, and regret filled me immediately. "I'm sorry, Bella." I couldn't hold back anymore, reaching out to lay my hand over hers. I squeezed softly and nearly sagged in relief when she returned the gesture.

"What you said wasn't wrong," she rasped. "I made the decision to stay away because I didn't have the courage to face you again. It was my fault."

"Which you made at a time when you were dealing with the loss of the most important person in your life," I said. "I know that kind of despair. You shied away from what you thought would bring you pain. Don't we all?"

She sighed, wiping her cheeks with a trembling hand.

I shifted slightly, hesitating at the question I wanted to ask, but then trudged on. "How long did he . . . I mean, how much time . . ." I struggled, but Bella understood.

"Almost two years after we separated," she replied quietly. "I got a lot more time with him than I'd expected, but . . . they were the worst months of his life and mine. Daddy was . . . He was in so much pain." Her voice broke, and I squeezed her hand again. "There were times I felt so guilty for hoping that he'd stay with me just a little longer when he was in the worst kind of agony. If I truly loved him, I should've prayed that God would allay his suffering sooner rather than later when the end was going to remain the same, no matter what."

"There's no right or wrong in these situations, Bella," I murmured. "You were with him throughout. There could've been no greater comfort to him in those days. I just wish you hadn't had to deal with it all on your own. I'll never forgive myself for not being there for you, and you weren't wrong in hating me for that. I'm so, so sorry. Tell me you had someone with you," I begged, and felt her hand tense underneath mine.

She swallowed thickly before answering me. "Billy was with my dad when I first got there . . . and Jacob."

His name was the barest of whispers as it left her mouth, but it was enough to shatter the illusion and pull us back into harsh reality. I lifted my hand, my fingers curling inward as they lost contact with her skin. I had no right to touch her, and I needed to do a better job of remembering that. Crossing these boundaries would bring nothing but pain, and I'd had enough of that to last me a lifetime.

"Tell me about him," I requested, ignoring the acid churning in my stomach at the thought of the two of them together.

 _Did I really want to know this?_

Bella eyed me for a moment. I don't know what it was that she was looking for or what she found, but eventually, she started talking.

"We'd been friends during our childhood, but we'd lost touch over the years," Bella explained. "When I got to Dad's place, Jacob and Billy were already there. I learnt that they already knew about Dad's condition since he was first diagnosed and had been supporting him the best they could. Once I was there, they reduced their visiting hours, giving Dad and me some privacy, but they were still at our place every other day or so. As time passed, Jacob . . . became someone I started to lean on."

My jaw clenched in an effort to rein in my emotions.

"We didn't get together until just a year ago," she continued in a low voice. "Before that, he was just . . . a friend. He was there for me when I really needed someone."

 _And I wasn't._

I could see it in her eyes that she was just stating a simple truth; there was no malice intended behind the comment.

Yet, it twisted inside me like a knife to the gut.

"I'm glad you had someone to lean on," was all I said, and that part was true.

As much as the thought of him comforting her made me uncomfortable, it was a hundred times worse to imagine Bella being lost and alone in the midst of all that grief.

"The rest was history, I suppose," I commented lightly, trying to break the overwhelming tension in the air. Also, while I had asked her about him, I had no intention of getting to know the finer details of their relationship. Connecting the dots from the beginning to the wedding was painful enough.

"You could say that," Bella whispered.

"For what it's worth, I really am happy that you've found someone you know you'll love for the rest of your life. Not everyone is lucky enough to find it, and if anyone in the world deserves it, it's you."

The words left my mouth easily, sincere as they were. Our eyes locked, a thousand emotions swimming in her eyes, taunting me with their secrets. The forlorn turn of her mouth spoke of longing and regret, and I could only wonder if she saw the same on my face.

"So . . ." Bella hesitated. "We've covered me. I guess it's your turn."

I grimaced. "I know I should be fair and do my share of the talking, but . . . I really don't know if I can handle it tonight," I told her honestly. "I feel like I'm falling to pieces."

It'd been one hell of a day, and suddenly, I felt deadbeat. It was as if every cell of my body had been holding on to the exhaustion for hours, and they'd now decided to flood my blood stream with it.

Still, I knew that if Bella really wanted to know, I'd tell her everything. After all that she'd shared, she deserved some answers, even if I'd have to tumble down another emotional roller-coaster to get it all out.

I watched as she released a deep breath. "I know what you mean. I feel so exhausted, as if I'm spending a lot of effort just holding myself together."

"It has been a long day." My mouth crafted the words to reassure her, while a part of my mind wondered what this would mean.

 _Would she meet me again?_

 _Was it even a good idea?_

 _Had she spoken with Jacob about the wedding?_

 _Were they still going through with it?_

"Maybe . . . maybe we could do this again," she suggested softly, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest. Her eyes were hopeful as they peered at me.

"I'd like that."

"Okay," she whispered with a small smile. "Okay. I'm sure we'll be in touch because of the investigation. We can figure something out." She looked down at her phone and frowned. "It's pretty late. I should head out."

She stood slowly, and I followed, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "Do you want me to drop you?"

"No, I have my car. I'll be fine."

"You sure?" I asked, a little worried about leaving her alone at the late hour.

Bella's face softened. "I know how to take care of myself. Don't worry. I promise I'll be fine."

"Text me when you get home, please," I requested, but then realized that I was probably overstepping my boundaries. "I mean, I know you'll tell Jacob, of course, but if you could let me know, too, I'll be able to sleep peacefully."

"I'll do that." She fished her keys out of her purse and kept her eyes on it, twisting the string of her keychain as she asked, "Did you find anything? Related to the case, I mean," she clarified. "Was it really a murder?"

I regarded her carefully. "Bella, I can't discuss that with you. I'm sorry."

She looked up and shook her head in self-reproach. "Of course. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. Forgive me."

"It's fine. We're following up on a lead, but once we have something more concrete, we'll make sure to keep you guys in the loop as much as possible."

"Thank you."

I loathed the awkwardness that'd saturated the air as she gave me a nervous smile. There was nothing more to say, so she nodded before starting toward the door.

I followed her slow steps as she walked out, keeping my hands fisted in my pockets so as to stop myself from reaching out to touch her.

At the threshold, she turned, meeting my eyes.

"Goodbye, Edward," she whispered.

The words threw me back in time to another moment when she'd uttered the same words to me . . . the moment I'd walked away from her.

Tears filled my eyes again as she didn't wait for an answer and called for the elevator. It arrived within seconds, taking her away from me, ripping the piece of my heart that still belonged to her out of my body.

In the hallway as deserted as the deepest recesses of my soul, I whispered, "Goodbye, Bella."

* * *

 **A/N: That's halfway to the truth behind the E/B separation. More investigating and less of the doom-gloom next time.**

 **Some of you have scared me with how close you've come to unravelling a couple of secrets of the plot. Not all secrets, though, lol. But you (and Edward) are shooting in the dark until we have some evidence. We'll get there, no worries.**

 **Don't forget — Pics, teasers, and updates on FB — Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed (Link on my profile)  
**

* * *

 **FIC REC — The Sharpened Blade by dolly3078 —** Someone is stalking Bella and everyone is a suspect. Fear drives her into the arms of the grumpy chef she works with, but is he the safest person to go to?


	7. Chapter 7 : Following the Evidence

**A/N: Forgive the long note, but I need to respond to an anonymous reviewer who commented on the previous chapter:**  
 _Firstly, thank you for putting your points across in a constructive manner. I really appreciate that. But I've made it clear in the first chapter itself that this is primarily a_ _ **suspense**_ _story. We all love our E/B moments, but this isn't going to focus outright on their relationship alone. That's exactly why I haven't included 'Romance' anywhere in the genres . . . to avoid misleading anyone. I've already completed writing 90% of the story in accordance with my vision for it. The focus will remain on the murder mystery for many more chapters to come. The rest, even the E/B aspects, will revolve around the case. I hope that clears it up. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts._

* * *

 **Alright, that's it. Now, a quick but sincere note of thanks to Pamela and Ninkita and then we can move forward with those of you who're sticking around.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 7**

 **FOLLOWING THE EVIDENCE**

"Sedative?"

"Yes," Dr. Banner replied as he wiped his hands. "I found traces of the drug in his blood."

I looked at Tanya, who raised an eyebrow in response. Banner noticed the exchange and held up his hand.

"Now, now, Agents. I'd already asked for Billy Black's medical records. He had complained of insomnia on and off in the past year. His doctor had been prescribing him sedatives, and I already gave him a call to confirm that Mr. Black had been taking the pills . . . not every day, but once in a while."

"So you're saying that the amount of sedative you found in the test is in accordance with the dose Mr. Black was taking?" Tanya asked.

"Yes," Banner replied, but then paused. "Well, just a tad on the higher side, but that can be explained."

"How?" I retorted.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Tolerance, of course. The more you take these pills, the more your body adjusts to them. Over a period of time, the amount of drug you need to get the desired effect rises. That's exactly what would've happened to Mr. Black. He might've been taking multiple tablets at once without having informed his doctor of the fact."

"On the day of his son's wedding? On the day he decided to inject himself with cocaine? That's too much of a coincidence, doc. How about the drug use? Did you find out if it was chronic?"

Banner folded his arms across his chest. "I tested his hair and found no traces of cocaine."

I turned to Tanya. "So we have evidence of him being sedated and the fact that he wasn't a habitual user. I think that's enough for us to treat this as murder."

"I don't think it proves anything," Banner butted in. "I've explained both the occurrences with perfectly valid scientific reasons."

"This was completely out of character for Billy Black. I believe this is a well-planned, well-executed murder, and we would be idiots to not consider that possibility," I told him. "I fail to understand why you refuse to keep an open mind about this, Doctor."

"Open mind?" he snapped. "How about you step out of your paranoid mindset before lecturing me, Agent Cullen? My job is not to investigate the case, but to give you an idea of the scientific facts. I'm doing just that. This is where the facts have led me, and if you don't like it, well, then do as you see fit. Investigate the case until your hair turns grey, Agent, but don't stand here in my lab and call me an idiot. I've heard a lot about your instincts — and seen them in action a few times — but if all they do is see a conspiracy where there might not be one, then they're not doing you any good."

Fuming, I opened my mouth to reply but Tanya stepped in between us.

"Enough," she announced, placing a hand on my chest to push me back. "Dr. Banner, I'm sorry. Edward didn't mean to insult you. We've heard your findings, and I think it's best if we leave now. If there's anything else, please give me a call."

I walked out of the room as soon as she was done talking. Outside, I braced my palm against the wall, banging my other fist against it while I heard them exchange some mutters.

Sleep had evaded me the previous night, teasing me with small reprieves from consciousness, only to jar me awake with harsh memories of the past. My mind twisted and turned Bella's words and expressions until they became just white noise. I didn't know what I was looking for or hoping for, but my thoughts were a mess as the clock ticked on toward dawn.

Tanya stepped out with a file in her hand.

She glared at me before heading down the hallway, and with a weary sigh, I followed. She pressed the button to call for the elevator before whirling around.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she snapped, keeping her voice low, but her annoyance was clear as the day.

"He's a stubborn ass," I grumbled.

"Yeah, well, so are you," she threw at me as the doors parted and we walked into the cabin. "I know he pisses you off, but come on! Calling him an idiot isn't doing anyone any good. You know that very well, and you've talked me off the ledge with this exact sentiment several times. That brings me back to, what the fuck is wrong with you today? You've been moody ever since you got here."

I kept my eyes on the flashing numbers. "I'm just stressed about the case, Tan. I'm afraid of making the wrong decision, chasing the insignificant clue, missing a vital one."

"Hey," she prodded, waiting until I met her gaze. "We've done this before. Your instincts and my genius have never let us down so far." I cracked a smile at her attempt to pull me out of my funk. "We'll get this sorted, Edward. But gnawing at Banner's patience is counter-productive. We might need his assistance later on."

"I know," I admitted. "If I see him again today, I'll apologize."

"And what if you don't see him?"

I shrugged. "Then screw it."

"Edward!"

The elevator pinged, the doors opening to our floor, so we started for our desks.

"Let's get back to the matter on hand, okay?" I suggested, and she acquiesced with an eye-roll. "We have the facts. I think the sedative just solidifies the murder theory further for me."

Tanya pursed her lips, handing Jasper the autopsy report as we reached him. He flipped it open and started reading Banner's conclusions.

"It's possible," Tanya told me. "I agree with you about the coincidence in all this — so many people in attendance, cocaine injection, sleeping pill . . . It seems like a well-made plan rather than a natural occurrence. Still, it's not impossible."

"I know," I allowed. "We already have Boss' green light to rule nothing out for now. Let's just follow the evidence."

"And where is that taking us?" Jasper chimed in. "So far, we've made no progress on the Lahote front. Prison logs are clean. That was the only angle we had. No finger prints on the syringe or on Billy's clothes, except his own."

"What about the catering staff?" Tanya asked him.

"I finished cross-checking the guest list yesterday, so I'll start with the staff list now. I've actually called in the wedding planner for an interview in half-an-hour, so I figured things might move quicker if I dive in after you speak with her."

I was surprised. "She's coming here?" Given her health issues, I'd figured that she would've wanted us to meet her at the hospital or at her place. I couldn't help but be suspicious at the turn of events.

"Yep," Jasper told me with a shrug. "I called her, and she was willing to show up. Judging by the way she was trying to get the scoop out of me with just one phone call, I could tell she's one of those nosy ones who enjoy the spotlight on them."

Shrugging, I said, "Nosiness might come in handy. She could've noticed something the others missed."

"True," Tanya agreed. "Now, since you woke up on the wrong end of your sad, lonely bed this morning, let's get you a cup of coffee. Otherwise, your demeanor might scare that poor lady into a heart attack."

I scowled at her, but had to admit that a cup of steaming hot coffee sounded like heaven.

My phone chimed with an incoming call, so I pulled it out of my pocket and stepped aside to answer it.

"Hello, Edward," a soft voice called, and I smiled automatically.

"Hi, Ma. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart. I know you must be busy, but I just wanted to remind you about the weekend."

My face fell. "The dinner? Of course I remember, Ma. You know I could never forget. I'll be there."

"I know." Her voice was subdued as always when we talked about this subject. I heard a whoosh as she sighed before infusing her tone with a kind of levity neither of us was feeling at the moment. "All right, Agent Cullen, you caught me. I just needed an excuse to check in with my son who hasn't spoken to me in a while."

I grimaced guiltily. "You're right, I've been slacking. I'm really sorry about that. Can I call you later tonight? I'm at the Bureau now, so I need to cut this short."

"I understand. We'll catch up later, alright?"

"You got it."

"Love you, Edward."

"You too, Ma. Bye."

I returned to Tanya once I ended the call.

"Everything okay?" she asked cautiously.

"Peachy. Let's get those coffees, shall we?"

We barely had time to grab our beverages before Mrs. Cope had arrived at the office.

Tanya and I walked into the room and were met with a stout old woman with wisps of silver-grey hair curling around her face. She was wearing a light blue pantsuit, and it made her cobalt eyes look amazingly striking. Her slightly-hunched back indicated her age, but her eyes were sharp and intent as Tanya and I took our seats.

"Mrs. Cope," I started. "Thank you so much for coming in. We heard about your health issues and hope that this isn't too stressful for you."

She waved my concern aside. "Please, Agent. It was such a terrible shock yesterday, looking at Mr. Black in that state, and I just lost my composure. I told those incompetent mutts at the hospital that I'll be just fine, but they wouldn't release me until I sat through a ridiculous number of tests. I got out of that place as soon as possible. Just tell me how I can help you."

We asked her the routine questions — whether she'd noticed anything unusual on the day of the wedding or prior to it, if she'd seen someone go up to the third story, and so on, but she had nothing to add to what we'd already gathered so far. She confirmed Rachel's statement about having met her at the bottom of the stairs before they both made their way outside.

"We got really busy with the final checks in the garden after that," she informed us. "I didn't make my way back into the house after that until I heard Mr. Jacob scream." She shook her head sadly. "Terrible, tragic business. I can't imagine how devastated the family is. I suppose they're just hanging on to the hope that you'll find out the truth as soon as possible."

"We'll try our best, ma'am," Tanya assured her.

She leaned forward, placing an elbow on the desk between us. Her eyes flashed between Tanya and me. "I heard some whispers about this being an accident? Mr. Black was taking drugs and happened to . . . what do you call it? Overdosing?" she pried.

"We're still in the incipient stages of the investigations," Tanya told her. "We're looking at different angles for now and will follow up on each."

"Of course," Mrs. Cope murmured, her face falling. "I suppose that's all you can share with me, eh?"

"I'm afraid so." I moved on to redirect the conversation. "We got a list of your staff members last night."

"Oh yes," she replied quickly. "My assistant informed me about that. You don't think . . . you don't think someone from my staff was involved somehow?"

I gave her a practiced, reassuring smile. "Like my partner said, we're just tracking down various possibilities." I handed her a copy of the list. "Could you tell us if anyone in particular stands out to you?"

Blue eyes flashed with irritation as they met mine. "I'm the most reputed event organizer in this state, Agent. Are you implying I wasn't thorough enough in screening my employees?"

"Not at all, ma'am," I answered calmly. "Surely a woman as sharp as you can see that no-one but the family, the guests and your staff had access to the grounds. It's standard procedure to make our way down all those lists. I'm sure you know your staff best, which is why you could make our job simpler by some elimination."

She regarded me for a moment before her face softened and she nodded. "I suppose that's fair then." She looked through the list, and Tanya and I waited.

After a couple of minutes, she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I can remember each face, but I don't see how any one of these would be capable of a crime. None of them would have a criminal record, I can assure you that. We verify that, along with an identity proof while finalizing their employment."

Tanya tried a different angle. "Maybe you could tell us about any new members on your team then. Is there someone who has only worked with you on this wedding?"

Mrs. Cope frowned. "Hmm, there are a few of those." She picked up the list again. "These months are always jam-packed with weddings, you know. The one we organized last week was a huge event, but the groom ended up catching the flu at the last moment." She grimaced. "Ridiculous. The ceremony was held nicely, of course, but the reception had to be canceled because he was puking his guts into the toilet. It spread like wildfire from then on, because the very next day, I was five people short. They were— Care to venture a guess?"

"Puking their guts out?" Tanya played along.

"Exactly," Mrs. Cope approved.

"So you had five new people in your employment yesterday?" I questioned.

"No, just three," she clarified. "The Black-Swan wedding wasn't as regal as the previous one, you see. I could manage without adding two more morons to the mix."

"Oh-kay," Tanya announced, pushing the list and a pen back toward her. "Please mark the new employees' names for us."

We were in there with her for a few more minutes, while she attempted, once again, to snag some inside information. As soon as we managed to ward her off, I handed Jasper the list, asking him to check out the three new employees.

Soon enough, we managed to locate two of them — Austin Marks and Katie Marshall. As Mrs. Cope had informed us, neither had anything suspicious in their records, but we decided to contact them for an interview just to be safe.

The third one, Joan Leaven, however was nowhere to be found in the system.

"She did say they checked some identity proof," Tanya pointed out when Jasper declared his failure to find a record of Joan's existence anywhere. "There has to be something."

"Well, they're not cops," Jasper supplied. "I doubt they would've been that thorough."

 _Joan Leaven._

I frowned, twisting my chair from side to side as I tried to recall why that name seemed somewhat familiar. I was pulled out of my musing by a gruff voice that I now recognized.

"Agent Cullen?"

Jacob Black walked over to me, flanked by a somber Rachel.

"Sorry to bother you. Mr. McCarty asked us to come in to sort out some paperwork, but we're not aware of where we're supposed to go," Rachel told me.

Tanya stepped forward to offer her help. "I can take you to his office."

Jacob stopped her. "Wait. Before that, I was actually hoping to speak with you two. Has there been any development? Do you have any clues?"

"So far, we don't have complete clarity, but there is one thing," I said. "Does the name Joan Leaven mean anything to you?"

I was intrigued when Rachel's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open in a gasp. The rest of us looked on, confused, as she shook her head, almost in disbelief. "Why would you ask that?" she inquired quietly.

"Because that's the one lead we have so far," Tanya explained. "This woman was new to Mrs. Cope's employment, and we've not been able to find any record of her existence. It must be a fake name, and clearly, it holds some significance to you."

Jacob frowned as he watched his sister's ashen face.

Rachel swallowed thickly before looking between Tanya and me. "I'm sure it's a coincidence," she said. "This couldn't . . . it probably doesn't mean anything. But . . ."

"But what, ma'am?" I prodded.

She bit her lip, looking unsure and fearful.

"Joan Leaven is the name of a character in this really weird movie, _Cube_. I only watched it once, but . . . I remember it because it was _Rebecca's_ favorite film."

* * *

 **A/N: *dun, dun, dunnnn***

* * *

 **Just a reminder here:**

 _Fly With Me_ _is up for Top Ten Fics of January at twifanfictionrecs dot com_

 _Disguised Intentions_ _is up for Top Ten Fics of 2016 at twifanfictionrecs dot com_

 **If you've enjoyed these stories, I'd appreciate a vote :) You can vote once each day.**

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 **For pics, teasers, and updates, come join us on FB at 'Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed' (Link is on my profile)**

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 **FIC REC – HONEYMOON SUITE BY TwiliteAddict -** We all wailed a collective 'ugh' at the fade to black scenes during Edward and Bella's honeymoon. This fic is a captivating look at the romance, emotions & imagery of Bella & Edward's honeymoon, the struggles of the pregnancy & birth, and Edward's joy when he bonds with Nessie while Bella goes through the change. Mostly EPOV. A canon story that fills in all the blanks!


	8. Chapter 8 : Exploring All Avenues

**A/N: Well, there's no 30** **th** **in this month, LOL! I didn't realize that until just two days ago. Yes, I'm a spaz. Good thing I did eventually recall that little bit of info because it means a relatively earlier update for you.**

 **As always, Pamela and Ninkita do so much more than just pre-reading and editing. They share my excitement, curb my insecurities, and just . . . tolerate me in general. I'm so lucky to have them in my corner.**

 **I need to mention one little point here. Some of your reviews indicate that you're mixing up the two Black sisters, so here's a clarification- The older one is Rachel, who has a son named Seth and has been living in the manor with her family. The younger one is Rebecca, whom Billy had thrown out years ago and so far, it looks like she'd come to the house during the wedding under an alias.**

* * *

 **DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight.  
My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

* * *

 **CHAPTER 8**

 **EXPLORING ALL AVENUES**

"Rebecca? Your estranged sister?" I asked, and Rachel nodded with her hand over her mouth. "She wasn't invited to the wedding, was she?"

"No," she replied. "We haven't had any contact with her in years. I would've loved to invite her, but Dad . . . and I wouldn't even know where to look for her." She looked up at her brother. "This doesn't mean anything, right, Jake?" she murmured worriedly. Jacob's face was stoic as he shook his head, but his eyes clearly displayed his shock. Meanwhile, Rachel's attention darted back to me. "Forget I said anything, please. It could've been some other Joan. Rebecca made some poor choices, but don't we all? She would never think of hurting our family. _Never_."

"We're not suggesting otherwise, ma'am," Tanya assured her. "It's our job to look at every possible angle, and that's all we're doing."

Jacob wrapped an arm around his sister while she sagged into his side. "I'm sure it was a coincidence, Rach," he tried to soothe her before addressing me. "Once you find this missing employee, please try finding Rebecca. We need to inform her of what has happened."

"Why don't you give us her last known address and phone number, and we'll go from there," Tanya offered.

Rachel nodded, wiping her tears away. "I have them in my phone. I can write it down for you."

Tanya led them away with a nod, getting the details about Rebecca and directing the Blacks to McCarty's office.

I dropped back down in my chair, raking a hand through my hair before pulling the Black family files toward me. I leafed through the pages, but Rebecca's information was nowhere to be found.

"Jasper, we need more information on Rebecca Black. She's a known user, so she might be in the system."

"On it," he told me, tapping away at his computer. "I missed her because I didn't know about her. Banner gave me the names of the family members present today, so I just focused on those."

"It's fine. Jacob mentioned her when I interviewed him, but since they'd had no contact, I figured she wasn't important for the investigation. Looks like I was wrong, though, because frankly, at this point, I like her for this. Resentment toward the father for abandoning her and cutting her off from his entire fortune . . . that'd do just fine as motive."

"Here it is," Jasper pointed out. "You're right. Rebecca was caught with some cocaine on her, but charges were dropped. Something about malpractice during the arrest."

I walked over to his desk and looked at the screen. With her sharp features, honey-toned skin a few shades lighter than her siblings and straight brown hair flowing down to her waist, Rebecca would've been a beautiful woman if not for her sunken cheeks and blood-shot eyes.

"Malpractice," I couldn't help but scoff. "I bet that was just the Black name talking." Tanya returned just as I was saying, "There's no way this is a coincidence. The estranged daughter's possible alias in the house party when her father died of a cocaine overdose?"

"I'm not buying it either," Tanya affirmed. "We need to find Rebecca."

"Perform background checks on Austin and Katie, and send someone out to talk to them, but I doubt there's anything there," I instructed Jasper, and he nodded. "I'm going to put a BOLO out on Rebecca, look into her known associates and ask for credit card records."

"I'll check out her old phone number," Tanya told me. "Maybe I should speak to Jacob and Rachel again. If they remember someone Rebecca was particularly friendly with, that could speed things up."

"Good idea."

As I sat down and picked up the phone, gears turned in my head, seeking a possible motive that could've led Rebecca to come home now. She hadn't made contact with her family in years. What had changed now?

Was it just her brother's wedding and her lack of inclusion in it?

Or had Billy made some recent change that provoked and enraged her to this extent?

Pursing my lips, I concluded that in families as wealthy as the Blacks, money was more often than not the reason behind conflicts.

I made a mental note to contact the Blacks' lawyer and glean some information regarding his will. The distribution of the enormous fortune would definitely shed light on who all stand to gain from Billy's death. I was surprised he hadn't contacted us already. In high-profile cases such as this one, lawyers usually liked to circle like vultures while we interviewed even the family members, leading us to be even more suspicious of the family itself.

In my mind, the absence of the lawyer and the Blacks' willingness to answer all our questions had won them a few points in their favor.

We'd have to see how long the co-operation lasted if we really had to go after Rebecca Black. But it didn't matter; they would just have to deal with it. If there was anything I'd learnt since joining the force, it was to eliminate no-one from the suspect list until the perpetrator was caught.

The words I'd spoken to Tanya breezed into my thoughts.

 _"_ _I get the feeling that when we start digging, it's going to be anything but."_

My foot tapped a steady rhythm as I turned the facts around in my head. No matter what Banner said, I was still convinced that this was a murder. Even if we managed to find Rebecca, we would only be able to place her in the house at the time of murder. Paul Lahote, on the other hand, could never have made it there at all. Unless we acquired a confession, we would need more concrete evidence to even charge either one of them.

Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back for a minute, focusing on my breathing as I debated how to go about gathering proof.

When an idea began to take shape, I grabbed my phone and pulled up the contacts list. I only had to scroll down a couple of names before I found the one I wanted. I pressed the button to call and held the phone up to my ear.

She answered within two rings.

"Hey," I greeted. "I need your help."

An hour later, I watched as a head with spiky black hair bowed over the Black case papers, steel grey eyes roving over each fact we'd accumulated so far. With my fingers interlocked against my lips, I waited silently until she finished her perusal and looked up.

"Deceptively simple," she announced, and I smirked. "I mean, I can see the logical conclusion one might derive, but then, in the next second, it seems improbable."

"Exactly," I encouraged.

"So what do you need my help for?"

I grimaced at her. "Don't act like you haven't already guessed, Alice."

"Come on, Edward," she groaned. "If I'm going to be taking on that stubborn dinosaur for you, you could at least say the words requesting me to do it."

My eyebrows rose in amusement. "If Banner hears you say these things about him, we're never going to get what we want."

"Alright, alright. All jokes aside, Edward, I'm happy to help you however I can. But you know as well as I do that Banner is a good doctor. He has decades of experience on me."

"But you have something he doesn't . . . an unbiased perspective," I countered. "He got it in his head that this was an accident, and I'm afraid he wouldn't have explored all the avenues during the autopsy as a result of that."

Alice leafed through Banner's notes again. "I can't think of anything at first glance, but I can give it a shot. I need to look at the body and speak to Banner about his findings before I can think of what he might've missed."

"Like that's going to be difficult. If there's anyone in the world who could make him putty in their hands, it's you."

She grinned. "Hmm, everyone loves me, don't they?"

"What's this about everyone loving my wife?"

Alice and I turned at the sound of Jasper's voice. His eyes were brighter than his beaming smile as he walked over to her and planted a quick peck on her lips.

"You know it's true," Alice told him. "No-one is immune to my charms."

"If only they heard the things you said behind their backs . . ." Jasper teased, and I snickered. She shoved him away.

"Hypocrisy is what's holding this world together, boys," she declared. "Edward's bluntness got him nowhere. _I_ , on the other hand, might have some success in getting through to good old Doctor Banner. Nothing wrong in doing what needs to be done to finish the job."

I held up my hands in surrender. "Hey, I hear you. Do this for me, and I'll owe you one."

She held up two fingers, and I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. I'll owe you two."

"Good," Alice approved, jumping to her feet. "I'll head over to the lab now. It'll take me a little while to get something from him without triggering his defenses. I'll go in with an open mind, but that's all I can promise, Edward."

"I understand," I assured her. "I know it's not that likely that Banner missed something, but I also know that your way of thinking is . . . refreshing. If anyone can discover any worthy piece of evidence, it's you. That said, if _you_ don't find anything new, I'll have less trouble accepting the accident theory than I'm experiencing right now."

Satisfied, Alice left with a nod, and I turned to Jasper. "Did you need something?"

"Huh?" He smacked his forehead. "Damn it. Sorry. I came here to tell you that we found Rebecca."

My eyebrows shot up. "Seriously? Already?" If she'd planned this murder, I would've expected better preparation from her.

But then, plans could always go awry.

"Yep," Jasper replied, satisfaction ringing in his voice. "Those credit card records you requested? We got a hit. The card was used a few minutes ago to check into Kingston Motel. It's a shady place . . . pretty good for a hideout, if you have enough sense to use cash, of course."

"We'll go pick her up now. Did you tell Tanya?"

"She didn't want to delay anything and left as soon as we got the information. Agent Biers went with her. They'll bring her in before she can make a run for it again."

Jasper was right. Tanya messaged me as soon as she'd secured Rebecca and within the next hour, we had her in the interrogation room.

I stood behind the one-way glass, taking a moment to observe the woman sitting on the uncomfortably hard plastic chair. She still possessed the same sharp features, but nothing else about her face resembled her younger self.

The Rebecca fidgeting before me had a healthy flush over her cheeks and clear, intent, anxious eyes. Her hair was a strange mix of shades of red as it barely hung down to her ears. Her slender frame was lost in a worn-out hoodie and baggy jeans.

I'd sent Rebecca's old picture to Mrs. Cope, asking her to confirm if she was indeed the Joan we were looking for. Having seen her myself, I could now understand why Mrs. Cope was not one hundred percent certain it was the same woman.

I was sure that if I'd send a photograph of this version of Rebecca to her, we would easily get the confirmation we needed. But something about Rebecca's body language told me that that wouldn't be necessary.

Tanya opened the door a sliver. "Ready?"

"Let's do this."

I held the door open for her as we stepped into the interrogation room. We settled in our seats, not looking directly at Rebecca. I kept a watch through the corner of my eye and noticed as she shifted uneasily.

Tanya and I remained silent, while Rebecca grew more nervous by the second, her eyes shifting between us over and over.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"What the hell is going on?" she shrieked. "Why am I here?"

"I'm sure you know why, Ms. Black," Tanya replied calmly. "Or should I call you Ms. Leaven?"

Rebecca's eyes narrowed defiantly. "I've done nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong?" I asked her. "So you didn't use a fake id to join Mrs. Cope's catering staff to get into your brother's wedding?"

"Even if what you're saying is true, then it was my house, wasn't it?" she growled. "You think you can keep me here for going to my own home?"

"Not at all." Tanya leaned in, looking straight into Rebecca's eyes as she said, "But when your father is murdered in the same house, at the same time when you were there under a false name without your family's knowledge . . . the same father who kicked you out, broke all ties and never looked back . . . then yes, we can very well keep you here."

She slammed her hands on the desk between us. "I had nothing to do with that."

I leaned forward. "Look, Rebecca. Things are not looking too good for you right now. We have motive and opportunity, adding to the fact that Mr. Black died of a cocaine overdose. Might've been a weapon of your choice, don't you think?"

Her face paled, eyes widening in abject horror. "Cocaine overdose?" she gasped. "I didn't . . . I didn't know." My gaze fell to her trembling fingers as they clasped the edge of the desk. Her eyes became unfocused, suddenly glistening with unshed tears. Her lips parted, as if to say something, but they just quivered, and nothing but harsh breaths escaped.

"Listen to me." I ducked my head to meet her eyes. "You're shocked. I can see that, and it makes me inclined to believe you. _I believe you_ ," I asserted. "But you've got to work with us here. You know very well there are a lot of things we can look into if we really want to hold you here. An officer can be sent to your apartment right now, and what do you think they'll find?"

"I don't . . . not anymore, but . . ."

"But that's not our concern," Tanya added. "We don't care about your past, only about finding what happened to your father. So help us out here. Why were you there?"

Rebecca's eyes flickered between ours, guarded and miserable, before I saw exhaustion seep into them. She released a huge breath, almost sagging into her seat before she started talking.

"I was there out of curiosity," she muttered with a shrug. "My brother was getting married, and I didn't know a thing about the woman who was about to become my sister. I didn't know what food they were serving, what colors they'd selected, what songs they had chosen . . ." She paused, biting her lip. "I just . . . I wanted to see my family again. I missed them," she whispered, her voice breaking at the end.

"Why didn't you just visit?" I asked, and she smiled wryly.

"You didn't know my father, Agent. Once he made a decision, he stuck to it. I must've thought a thousand times to call my siblings, but I was always afraid. Billy Black had a way of keeping people under his thumb, especially his family. None of us were ever truly free of his influence . . . well, except me, when he pushed me away. I was afraid Jake and Rachel would just refuse to see me, or worse, ignore my existence as they have been doing for all these years."

"So you decided to get in under an alias," Tanya prodded.

Rebecca twisted her fingers nervously. "I already had . . . the id," she replied hesitantly, and we nodded, assuring her that it was not something we would be investigating further. "My friend was in Mrs. Cope's employment, and she fell sick after the last wedding they organized. She told me about the staff requirement at Jacob's wedding, and I couldn't resist asking her to put in a good word for me."

"So was that the only reason you were there, or was there something else that triggered your decision? You haven't had any contact with your family recently?"

"Absolutely none," she affirmed. "I didn't even know what I was going to do if someone recognized me. I just . . . I just wanted to be a part of the ceremony somehow. I thought I'd see how things played out."

"Why did you run?" Tanya questioned.

"I knew what this would look like," she admitted softly. "When I heard Jacob scream . . ." She shuddered. "Then people started talking about what'd happened, and I barely made sense of it without losing my mind. I didn't know how he died, but no matter what . . . I knew my presence would be questioned and dissected, and I guess I was trying to avoid that. I wasn't thinking clearly." She looked down for a moment, and when she met our eyes again, hers held immeasurable regret. "This is what I do, Agents. When the going gets tough, I run and I hide. I guess that's why my father could never like me," she whispered. "He loved me because he had to, because I was his blood. But he never _liked_ me."

A couple of tears escaped her eyes. I stood to grab a boxful of tissues and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she muttered, accepting one.

"Do you think this could've been accidental? Could Mr. Black have done this to himself?"

"No," she rasped. "I saw his eyes when he found out that I'd been doing drugs. He wouldn't . . . he hated _cowards_ who used such means to escape the realities of life. He would've never chosen to be one of them, no matter what."

"Alright. Is there anything else you'd like to add?" Tanya asked her. "Anything unusual that came to your notice yesterday?"

Rebecca frowned, taking a moment to think about her answer before shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I can't think of anything."

"Anyone you know who would've wanted to harm Mr. Black?"

"I hadn't spoken a word to him in years," she replied. "Even if he had made some enemies, I wouldn't know about them. You'd be better off speaking to Jake and Rach about it."

"Do you know Paul Lahote?" I asked.

"Of course. Rachel's ex-boyfriend, right? Seth's father."

"Have you been in touch with him?"

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "He's in prison, isn't he? I've heard of him a couple of times, but I haven't even seen him since long before he went in." She sat up straighter. "Wait. You think he had something to do with this? Because of the cocaine?"

"You don't think it's likely?" Tanya prodded.

"Who knows. That was one messed up fucker. I'm sure Dad must've had words with him. Hell, Dad might've been involved in throwing him behind bars. Paul didn't seem like the kind who could kill, but circumstances have a way of messing with people's heads. I know that very well." Her face twisted into a bitter mask as she finished.

Tanya looked at me, and I shook my head once. I couldn't think of anything more to ask of Rebecca.

"Thank you for your co-operation," Tanya told her as we stood.

"Am I free to go?"

"Yes, but please don't leave town," I said, because we didn't have enough evidence to keep her in our custody. "We might contact you later, if needed. Also, please speak to your siblings. They'd asked us to look for you."

Rebecca nodded before rising to her feet and shuffling out of the room.

Tanya folder her hands across her chest, leaning against the desk. "What do you think? Honest?"

I sighed. "Looks like it. She didn't lawyer up either."

"Using the credit card wasn't a calculated move. It was something a desperate, distraught person would do."

"I agree. We're obviously not eliminating her, but as of now, we have nothing incriminating on her either."

"I'll look into her phone records and finances," Tanya said. "But if there's nothing there, I hate to say that we might just be back to square one."

"Not quite," I told her. "If there's no personal motive shining out, maybe it was professional or financial."

"We checked their finances. There was nothing troublesome."

"Then we've got to look into who gets it all now. Let's go see the Blacks' lawyer first thing tomorrow morning."

* * *

 **A/N: BOLO=Be On the Look-Out - - Basically, it means the law enforcement agencies are hunting you down.  
**

 **If you enjoy an angsty thriller, you should check out my latest story, Shadow. It was written for FAGE-9 and stands complete with six chapters.**

 **And of course, for pics, teasers, and updates, come and join my FB group: Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. Search the name or follow the link from my profile here.**

* * *

 **FIC REC -** **Virtue** **By: Blaze Eos 0204 :** **Shaking hands undid the tie in the front of the dress, and reached back to slip the zipper down. The warm skin protested at being bared. Goosebumps erupted across her skin, her breast tightened from fear, nipples beaded from cold. 'You haven't done this before, have you,' he asked softly...**


	9. Chapter 9 : Chasing Leads

**A/N: Last chapter saw some of the most . . . insightful reviews, I'd say! It has been a blast reading your theories and opinions on these characters.**

 **Many thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for their help and support.**

 **While I was writing this story, in a moment of haste, this is the point from where on I lost 8 f-ing chapters by pressing the wrong button! Thank God I had the detailed outline firmly in place. Rewriting the lost bits was a pain, but it was also the quickest I've ever gotten as many words out.**

 **Aren't you glad I waited to post until I had them all done? Lol ;)**

 **Anyway . . . let's carry on.**

* * *

 **DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight.  
My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

* * *

 **CHAPTER 9**

 **CHASING LEADS**

When I walked into the BI building the next morning, there was a crowd of reporters gathered at one end of the stairs. Stepping closer, I found McCarty at the center of the circle, giving out a statement regarding our ongoing investigation. He nodded in acknowledgement as I passed by them.

I didn't need to stay. Tanya and I had already updated him on the developments last night. He had assured us that he would be handling the media along with our PR representatives, so that we could focus on solving the case as soon as possible with minimal interference from them.

I placed my coffee mug on my desk and plopped down in my chair. Resting my elbows on the desk, I buried my face in my palms and groaned.

Two days ago, I was living a simple life—I did my job, I went home to my furniture and my TV, I ate, I slept, I went on sporadic dates that led nowhere . . . I existed.

Now, this case—the most important case of my career so far—had thrown everything off-kilter.

Sleep evaded me as my mind ran around in endless circles of thoughts and emotions.

I barely tasted food as I scarfed it down, the single place setting and the empty chair beside me screaming of my loneliness.

No matter that she'd been about to marry someone else, just the fact that Bella was back in my life in any capacity was enough to make even the idea of going out with someone else repulsive.

My life was well and truly screwed.

And it would remain so at least until I solved the case.

Even after that, I could only hope and pray to be able to move on.

"Morning," Tanya sang, walking past me.

I sighed. "Why so damn chipper?"

"Why so damn grouchy?" she retorted, slinging her purse on the back of her chair.

I ignored her. "Ready to see the lawyer?"

"Never, but we've got no choice."

"Don't you think it's weird he hasn't shown up yet? The rich ones seem to have one attached to the hip," I commented.

Tanya shrugged. "It gives them a tick in the innocence column, in my opinion. Always a good thing if they've got no secrets to guard."

"I guess we'll find out."

"Morning," Jasper said as he joined us. "I checked Rebecca out, by the way. Nothing in the finances or phone records."

Tanya huffed out a breath. "Can't we catch a fucking break here? And when did you manage to do that anyway?"

"I got here an hour ago," Jasper announced, suppressing a yawn. "Since Boss here got my wife a medical mystery, she insisted on getting in at the butt crack of dawn."

Excitement bubbled inside me. "Did Alice find something?"

"She's working on it," he replied. "That's all she told me. She doesn't want to disclose anything until she's sure and get your hopes up."

"She knows you well," Tanya threw in. "With you, it's always better to wait until we have all the information."

Jasper held up a hand, and she slapped it with hers.

I didn't bother to reply, verifying that my badge was in place as I started to walk out, leaving Tanya to follow me.

We arrived at our destination within the hour. I squinted as I looked up at the tall building that housed the office of _Clearwater and Uley, Attorneys at Law._ Tanya and I climbed up the elevator to the tenth floor.

As soon as we stepped out, the name of the firm was proudly displayed on the wall in bold, glinting metal, while shades of grey and white seemed to dominate the décor. I held the glass door open for Tanya, and we made our way to the reception.

A quick flash of our badges, and we were led down the hall to the first office on the left.

Sam Uley rose to his feet as we walked in. He buttoned his suit jacket and then held out his hand to shake ours. I took in his dark, deep-seated eyes, honey-toned skin, his gelled black hair, and his shimmering cufflinks as we took our seats. There was a slight depression in his chin, probably a dimple, that stood out as he smiled politely at us.

"Mr. Uley, thank you for meeting us."

He nodded calmly as I introduced Tanya and myself.

"Of course, Agents. Anything I can do to help," he replied. "I'm sorry I haven't spoken to you earlier, but there were literally a thousand things to attend to in these circumstances. Mr. Jacob is, of course, distraught, but we need to get things sorted at the company and reassure our shareholders. Mr. Black would've wanted that."

"Mr. Uley, we're having some trouble determining the motive behind the murder. We were hoping you would be able to guide us."

He frowned, pursing his lips together in a way that made the cleft in his chin more prominent. "I don't understand. I thought this happened because of an accidental overdose."

"It's one of the possibilities," Tanya informed him. "But we're looking into every possible angle. If you believe that this wasn't a murder, do you know what could've led your client to use cocaine when he had never hidden his disdain for drugs?"

"I- I suppose when you put it that way . . . You're right. Mr. Black practically disowned his daughter, Miss Rebecca for this very reason. It would be quite out of character for him to do something like that, especially because he had been very happy since Mr. Jacob announced his engagement."

"He never had a problem with their relationship?" Tanya pried.

"Oh, no," Sam replied, leaning back in his chair. "Not at all. Ever since he'd been diagnosed, he had thrown himself into contracts and mergers, probably to keep his mind off it. But once he received news of the impending nuptials, he decided to take a step back and enjoy the rest of his life with his family. He was actually preparing Mr. Jacob for everything he'd need to know to manage the Black empire. Mr. Black had always been worried about his son and his lack of seriousness in life. He often shared his troubles with me. But ever since he found Miss Swan, Mr. Jacob turned over a new leaf in life. It made his father proud."

"Any enmity on the business front? Rivals, ex-employees, any threatening messages?" I asked.

He shook his head again. "No, Agents. Sure, Mr. Black had some squabbles in the past, but who doesn't in the business world? That was all years ago, and certainly not worth committing such a terrible crime over," he affirmed.

"What about his will? Who are the beneficiaries?" Tanya enquired as per our discussion yesterday.

"Why, his family, of course," Sam answered, his hands splayed out before him. "He divided his wealth equally between Jacob and Rachel Black, except a small, but significant portion that he bequeathed to Miss Isabella Swan."

My eyes snapped up at the sound of her name, but I asked a different question.

"So not _all_ of his family, then?"

Sam cocked his head to one side, regarding me cagily. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"When I spoke to Mr. Black, I mean, Jacob, he mentioned that the senior Mr. Black had abandoned Rebecca. What you're saying proves that he didn't soften his stance on her at all. He knew he would be leaving her without a penny even after his death. When did you draft this will?"

"Nearly three months ago. Mr. Black had an earlier one in place, but he wanted to revise some minor details based on the markets at the time. The beneficiaries remained the same." He sat up straighter. "Wait, you think Rebecca could've had something to do with this?"

"We can't say anything at the moment. I'm sure you can understand that," Tanya told him, effectively thwarting the line of discussion.

"Of course," Sam murmured, holding up one hand in surrender. "I'm sorry. I've been working with the Blacks for over seven years now. This . . . this has been just a terrible set of circumstances. I hope you can get to the bottom of it as early as possible."

"We'll do our best," she assured him. "Just one last thing. I'm sure you can understand that it's procedure, so we need to ask you where you were between 11 am and noon day before yesterday."

"Of course," he replied calmly. "I was with my mother. She has been in the hospital for the last week or so. I was invited to the wedding, of course, but given her condition, I didn't want to leave her side unless absolutely necessary, you know? I called Mr. Black the previous evening to apologize for my absence, and he agreed to pass on my best wishes to the happy couple."

"I hope she'd doing well now," I offered.

"Oh, yes. As a matter of fact, she is. The doctors prescribed stronger drugs, and as of this morning, they seem to be working. I'm keeping my fingers crossed."

That was all that we needed for the time being. We shook hands, thanking him for his statement before heading out of his office.

Tanya wanted to drive, so I tossed her the keys. As she maneuvered the car out of the parking, I sat back and closed my eyes, mulling over the interview with Uley.

"No recent changes in the will," Tanya commented.

"Exactly what I was thinking. So why kill him now?"

"Well, Rebecca might be holding a grudge," she suggested. "Maybe she came to know somehow about the will recently."

"We don't have anything to even prove that she went inside the house," I sighed. "Plus, when we told her about the cocaine, I don't know . . . I got the impression that she was genuinely shocked. She didn't seem to be lying."

"I didn't think so, either," Tanya agreed. "But we don't have anything on the beneficiaries, either, do we? I mean, Rachel . . . Billy took her in when she had nowhere to go, he loved her son like any doting grandfather, she had no reason to worry about money. Same goes for Jacob. Since Billy got ill, Jacob was living at the house itself. I don't see why either would take the risk to get what would've legally been theirs not too far into the future. And Isabella . . ."

"Nothing against her either," I murmured.

"Boss is not going to be happy about this," Tanya muttered glumly. "We're getting nowhere."

Sure enough, when we got back to the Bureau, McCarty was waiting at our desks. We updated him on where we stood so far. The hard look in his eyes and the firm set of his mouth told us that Tanya's prediction had been accurate.

He rubbed a hand over his face. "Look, I don't have to tell you how many eyes are on us right now. You're the best team we have. I'm relying on you. I know this isn't looking easy, and I see that you're trying to cover all avenues possible, but it's just not proving to be enough."

"We're trying our best," Tanya offered.

McCarty shook his head. "I know that. But it's my job to push you when you don't get the results. Thing is, I've never had to push you guys before. You've never needed it."

"It won't come to that, Boss," I assured him. "We're obviously missing something . . . or maybe the witnesses are."

His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"We spoke to the family that day, but they were obviously distraught and in shock. I think we need to interview them again," I explained. "Memories might not be as fresh, but hindsight can prove to be a useful tool with a clear mind."

"It's worth a shot. We have no other leads, do we?"

I shook my head, and he turned to Jasper.

"This Rebecca . . . did the CCTV footage show her entering the house?"

"No, Boss," Jasper replied. "I have several shots of her roaming in the garden, making the preparations, but that's it."

McCarty nodded before turning his attention back to Tanya and me. "Go talk to them again," he ordered. "Make them remember. If no one saw anything, then someone is hiding something. Tackle each one individually—Jacob, his bride, and Rachel." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, you could split up, too, and talk to whoever is more likely to open up to you alone. Keep me posted."

He started to turn, but stopped short and looked at me. "Oh, I was going to mention I noticed Dr. Alice Whitlock hanging around Dr. Banner quite a lot in the past two days." That was all he said, but the look in his eyes was meaningful enough to make me answer.

"I requested her assistance on the case." There was no point in beating around the bush with McCarty.

"You don't think Banner's doing the job right?"

I chose my words carefully. "I just thought that a fresh, unbiased perspective could do no harm."

McCarty's mouth twisted to one side. "If she manages to get through to Dr. Banner, I'm all for it. I want results, no matter how. If Dr. Banner senses your coup, though, I know nothing on the matter."

I almost smiled. "Understood."

With that, he left us to our devices. I turned to Tanya.

"Why don't you take Jacob and Rachel?" I suggested as casually as I could.

She frowned, puzzled. "Really? You don't think I should take the girls?"

"You know more than me about their life," I reminded her. "Jacob's ways and Rachel's ex. You might be able to ask the better questions."

"I guess that makes sense." She blew out a huge breath. "This better work, Edward. I'm getting tired of chasing leads only to come back to square one."

"We'll find it, Tan. Whatever it is, we'll find it."

My phone chimed with an incoming call. Tanya told me that she'd head out to see Rachel, and then Jacob. I nodded at her before excusing myself.

My heart leapt into my throat when I saw Bella's name flashing on the screen.

I swallowed before answering. "Hello?"

"Edward?" she asked tentatively. "Hey."

"Is everything okay?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah, uh . . . I'm alright."

I waited, but she said nothing more. The sound of her even breaths floated through the line. Strung tight as I was, it didn't take long for me to grow impatient.

"Then why did you call, Bella?"

"I just . . . I just wanted to hear the sound of your voice," she murmured. "I . . . Maybe I shouldn't have . . . But . . ."

My eyes fell shut in frustration. I failed to understand why she'd say these things when she had . . . Jacob.

"Look, I need to speak with you anyway," I told her. "Where are you right now?"

"I'm at Jenny's. It's a café close to my apartment."

"Then I'll come meet you there. Just text me the address."

"O-okay, sure."

I ended the call, and less than a minute later, her message came through.

With a tumult of emotions raging inside me, I once again grabbed the car keys and made my way out, determined to air out the things we'd left out the last time we'd talked.

* * *

 **A/N: FIC REC** **:** **Remember Me by NoelleSeven** **—** **One love. One destiny. Can you change what's meant to be? Sort of AU and OOC.**

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 **A little tidbit about me that you might not know, but are about to know now . . . It's my birthday today ;) And I'm young enough to be happy about it.**

 **Why am I telling you that?**

 **Look below, and you'll come to know . . .**


	10. Chapter 10 : Fulfilling a Promise

**AN:** **Double update, y'all! Make sure you've read Chapter-9 if you just followed the link to this one, okay? x x**

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 **CHAPTER 10**

 **FULFILLING A PROMISE**

A bell dinged as I opened the door and entered Jenny's Café. My eyes traversed the large room, taking in the rustic furniture, the vintage little umbrella shaped lights, and the far wall that was entirely made of glass and looked out to the road. Little bowls filled with fresh, fragrant flowers adorned each table. The chairs were an eclectic mix of different shades—no one matching the other—yet, they blended in seamlessly.

Even though it was my first time here, the place somehow gave me a comforting, homey feel. I could certainly see Bella spending a lot of time here if she lived close by, as she'd said.

The hostess approached me, offering to direct me to a seat, but I politely declined. Just then, my eyes fell on Bella. She was tucked into a little booth near the corner of the room, typing away on her laptop. I started to make my way toward her, but then paused. She was absorbed in her work, so she hadn't noticed me, and I took the opportunity to really look at her.

With black-rimmed glasses on her face, her clear skin obviously devoid of any make-up except the slight shimmer on her lips, and the loose waves of her long hair falling past her shoulders, she looked like the girl I'd known and loved more than anything else in the world.

She smiled at whatever amused her on her screen, and I couldn't help but think of the last day when we'd been together and happy.

" _I can't," I groaned._

" _Of course you can," she encouraged softly, her voice as patient as it had been ten minutes ago, when we'd first gotten to this impasse._

" _Bella, just look and tell me what it says." I thrust the envelope into her lap. "I feel like I'm gonna throw up. I'm_ that _nervous, and I can't look at it, okay? Please do this for me."_

" _Edward." I didn't reply, and she sighed. "Fine. I'll open it. But we're looking at it together."_

 _I threw her an exasperated glance. "Why?"_

" _Because you've waited for this day for a long time," she explained, placing her hand over my cheek. "I want you to take in this moment in all its glory."_

" _And what if there's nothing worth glorifying in there?" I challenged. "What if they rejected me?"_

" _Then we'll deal with it. Together. Just like we're dealing with reading it together."_

 _I huffed when she raised an eyebrow. She wasn't going to back down. I could see that in the set of her jaw._

" _Fine," I relented, sliding back to lean against the headboard. She grinned and followed, settling herself between my legs, pressing her back to my chest._

" _Ready?"_

" _Not even one bit," I replied honestly._

" _Sounds good." She giggled. "Let's do this."_

 _My heart pounded hard and fast in my ears while she tore the envelope open. She turned it over, and a single sheet of paper fell out._

 _I wrapped my arms around Bella's waist and rested my chin on her shoulder. She unfolded the letter, holding it so that we both could read it together._

 _My nerves stood on end as I took in the words before me, reading each one twice, thrice to make sense of them. Bella must've breezed through it quickly, because I was barely past the third sentence when she squealed._

" _You did it!" she cheered, twisting her body to face me. "You got in, Edward!"_

" _I got in?" I parroted in disbelief._

" _You got in! You're going to Quantico." She laughed, even as her eyes welled up with tears. Her hands framed my face in glee. "You're going to become an FBI agent."_

 _Fourth time was the charm, as I finally managed to get the words to sink in. A huge grin stretched across my lips as it dawned on me that my dream was going to be fulfilled._

 _Bella threw herself at me, and I held her tight, kissing her with wild abandon._

" _I did it! Oh my God, Bella, they accepted me!"_

" _I'm so proud of you," she whispered, kissing me once, twice, thrice. "So proud, Edward. I love you."_

" _I love you, too, baby."_

 _Once the euphoria settled down, we lay down on our sides, facing each other with our hands entwined between us._

" _I can hardly believe it," I murmured, pulling her hand to my mouth. I planted a kiss on her wrist, making her smile. "I've been dreaming of this day for so long, Bella. When we lost Masen, I vowed to myself that I would do whatever it took to make sure that something like that would never happen on American soil again. This is the first step toward that goal."_

" _I know, baby. That terrible day in September changed millions of lives."_

" _I'd never even talked about him to anyone since he was gone," I confessed gruffly. "Mom and Dad tried to force me into therapy, but . . . I couldn't rehash it all back then. So I clammed up, held myself together and forced myself to act normal, so that they wouldn't go crazy worrying over me. They'd already lost one son . . . I didn't need to scare them about losing another."_

" _Oh, Edward," she whispered, pain flashing in her eyes._

" _You made it possible. Until I found you, I'd always been afraid to trust anyone. Masen was the one person who knew everything about me. There was nothing I couldn't or didn't share with him. When he was gone, I was terrified of letting someone else into my life to that extent. I wasn't sure I could live through another loss." I raised our joint hands to stroke her cheek with the back of my fingers. "Then you came along. You were the breath of fresh air I never knew I needed. You gave me strength to face those demons, Bella. This would never have been possible without you."_

 _She turned her head to press her lips to my palm. "I don't believe that," she disagreed softly. "I think you can do anything you put your mind to. But I couldn't be happier to be at your side while you fulfill your promise to your brother."_

" _I know it'll be tough," I murmured. "I'll be gone for a few months, and after the training, then they'll appoin—"_

" _We'll make it work," she replied, shifting closer to me._

" _We'll make it work," I agreed as I leaned in to kiss her, delighted, proud, and so fucking grateful to have her with me._

Bella looked up, as if she'd sensed my steadfast gaze, and a small smile appeared on her face. I shook my head, snapping out of my recollection, and headed toward her.

"Hey," she greeted, as I sat across from her.

"Hi." I cast a glance across the room. "Nice place."

"Charming, isn't it? I spend most of my time here." She pointed to her laptop. "As long as I have this, I'm good to work from anywhere, so I take full advantage of it. Plus, there's an unlimited supply of coffee."

"You don't like working from your home?"

She grimaced. "No, it's too quiet. I like a little-"

"Background chatter," I finished for her. "I remember. That's why you didn't like studying at the college library."

Her smile widened, and her eyes twinkled. "Exactly. It was so quiet I could hear my own breathing. Once that happens, it's all I can focus on!"

"You're lucky you can work whenever you want, from wherever you want," I commented. "Some of us don't have that luxury."

"I know. I'm lucky . . . in some ways." Her face sobered, and she shut her laptop. With her fingers interlocked on the table, she shifted in her seat, her eyes suddenly growing wary. "While we're talking about jobs, if I may ask," she began tentatively. "Did you . . . did you have to tell your superiors about us?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Her cheeks flushed and she looked down, seeming embarrassed. "I just know a little bit from watching television shows and stuff." She shrugged, sneaking a tentative glance toward me. "But wouldn't you be taken off the case because of a conflict of interest?"

I leaned back in my chair. "What is there to say? We dated for six months, and we haven't even spoken to each other in six years. That is not going to hamper my ability to do my job in the fairest manner possible."

A sad frown furrowed her brow as she pulled her lower lip between her teeth. She didn't say anything for a while, and I remined silent, too.

The way I'd trivialized what we'd shared had left a bitter taste in my mouth, but I couldn't help it. Since the moment she'd walked back into my life, Bella had been driving me crazy. She was _engaged_ , for God's sake! The way she'd called me earlier, the way she'd been smiling at me now, talking, chatting as if we were old friends who'd parted on the best of terms ticked me off.

Just the thought of her belonging to that man sent me into a tailspin.

What gave her the right to just pretend as if there weren't a thousand things still unsaid, still unresolved between us . . . as if she'd never ignored my countless attempts to contact her . . . as if, just because she'd moved on, I could be happy for her?

I watched her pull in a few deep breaths, the struggle in her mind evident as she opened and then shut her mouth without saying anything. I let my hand drift over the cutlery on the table, straightening the spoon to align with the fork.

Bella cleared her throat, and I looked up. Her body language told me she was trying to muster determination for something.

And I knew the next words coming out of her mouth would not lead to anything good.

She didn't disappoint.

"What _happened_ to you?" she whispered fiercely. "You didn't say anything the last time we . . . talked."

I took a moment to put my thoughts in order, wondering what to say, how to explain.

"Hi," the waitress interrupted my musing with a bland smile. "Can I get you anything?"

I sucked in a deep breath, releasing it slowly before answering her. "No, thank you." My voice was probably more brusque than she deserved, and her fake smile fell.

"Maybe a little later," Bella intervened, pushing the empty cup toward her. "Thank you."

The waitress collected it and left without another word.

Bella turned her attention back to me. "So . . ." she dragged out the word. "You were saying?"

"There's nothing to say. You don't always get what you want in life."

She shook her head, probably in frustration. "I think I deserve an answer, Edward. After everything we went through, only to find out that . . ." she trailed off, and my hackles rose.

"I failed a couple of tests, Bella. The FBI expects much more than sharp instincts in their recruits. I simply wasn't good enough. That's all there is to it," I revealed. "No scandal. I just . . . didn't have what it takes to join their ranks."

"Oh, Edward, I'm sorry," she murmured in a gentle tone.

"And as far as everything we've been through is concerned . . . you're right," I continued, none too kindly. "I guess it was all for nothing. I failed you, I failed Masen, I failed myself."

Bella's eyes flashed, and she reached out to place her hand over mine. "No," she said fervently. "You didn't fail anyone. That's not what I meant, Edward."

I had to look away, familiar pangs of shame and bitterness twisting my gut.

"Remember how you told me why Masen was there that day? For an internship in designing, right? Even though your parents were not too sure about his career choice. He'd never be satisfied if he picked something just to please your parents, especially if his interests lay elsewhere. You told me you knew he just wanted to be happy in life." She squeezed my hand. "He would've wanted you to be happy, too, Edward. You're still doing exactly what you promised him—putting the bad guys behind bars. I don't think he's going to be the least bit disappointed in you."

"Don't act like you knew him," I gritted through clenched teeth. My hand balled into a fist under hers, and Bella quickly pulled back. "You didn't know my brother, Bella, so please, for God's sake, don't try to give me these platitudes."

"All I'm saying is that if he loved you, he would've wanted you to be happy," she insisted. "Are you?"

"Are you?" I threw back at her.

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you really think throwing my questions back at me is going to get us anywhere?"

"What am I supposed to think, huh?" My voice was quiet, keeping in mind the nature of our surroundings, but the words were sharp enough to make her eyes go wide. I leaned in to look straight into them. "You were the one standing before me in a wedding dress, Bella. You were about to become Mrs. Jacob Black. And two days later, here you are, calling me just to hear my voice, reminiscing about my dead brother and my family like you've always been a part of it. Tell me what I'm supposed to make of it, because I'm fucking lost."

Bella swallowed, her fingers trembling as she reached out to grab her laptop. Hastily, she started to place it in her bag.

"You're right," she spoke shakily, while she collected the rest of her stuff. "I had no right to call you. I'm—I'm so sorry." Her voice broke, and she stood.

I watched as she rushed to the counter and paid her bill. When she returned, she couldn't meet my eyes. "I'm so sorry to bother you," she whispered, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'll just . . . I'll just leave."

She was out of the door by the time I rose to my feet. I walked briskly and caught up with her just as she was about to cross the street.

"Bella, wait," I called out.

She halted in her tracks, but didn't turn to face me. I noticed her fist tighten around the strap of her bag, but that was all the reaction I got.

"I needed to ask you something regarding the case," I continued.

"What's that?"

"Just to check if there's anything you happened to miss on the day of the wedding, or maybe a few days prior to it. We haven't been able to find anything at all that could classify as motive for Billy's death."

She shook her head, but didn't turn. "I'm sorry, but I don't have anything to add. I'll let you know if I can think of something."

With that, she rushed to cross the road, and leaving me to watch as she started to make her way farther and farther away from me.

My eyes followed her for as long as they could, taking in the hunched set of her shoulders, and the movement of her hands over her cheeks . . . possibly wiping away tears.

As the rage that I hadn't even known existed inside me started to dull, only one thought ran through my mind.

 _What the fuck had I done?_

* * *

 **A/N: You know it had to happen sometime. The guy bottles up his feelings more often than he should. Ninkita has been quite worried about ulcers. On the plus side, we've got some more clarity on their past.**

 **A very important announcement:** I'll be submitting an **M-rated outtake** from my story, **Fly With Me** for the _**EndoRead – Authors for Endometriosis**_ **compilation.** A handful of dollars donated to this noteworthy cause can get you the outtake, plus some more exclusive stories by the talented authors involved in this fundraiser. All pertinent information is available here **: endoread {dot} wordpress {dot} com**

 **Pics and teasers can be found in my FB group, Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed (Link is on my profile)**

 **In case you were wondering, we're nearly halfway through the story now.**

 **See you on the 20** **th** **!**

* * *

 **FIC REC: That Boy by** **Kiva Johns Adkins—** **Suppose Edward's Catholic upbringing and faith made him who he is. What would his life have been like had he met Isabella Swan in 1918, Chicago?**

* * *

 **PS:** _A Guest Reviewer asked for clarification on a matter, so this is an added note to help them out, given that I have no other means to reply if you don't sign in to let me know who you are._

The Bureau of Investigation is **NOT FBI**. It was earlier called California Bureau of Investigation, later renamed as simply BI. I haven't mentioned any locations throughout the story to avoid geographical errors, but you can assume this is California, if it helps clear things up in your mind.  
So Edward failed to make it to the FBI, but is now an Agent in BI—formerly CBI— an agency of the State's Department of Justice/Law Enforcement.

I'd link the Wikipedia page if ffn let me, but since they don't without me putting in spaces and (dots) and whatnot, it'll be easier for you to look it up yourself if you'd like more information on the matter. Just Google California Bureau of Investigation/Bureau of Investigation.

Though I have no idea if you're in there, I'll also post the link in my FB group, just in case.  
I hope that clears it up.


	11. Chapter 11 : Flaring Tempers

**A/N: Hello there. Last time, one guest reviewer let me know that they were 'lost' in context of FBI vs BI. I'd added a note in the previous chapter to make things clearer later that day, so if you want to go check that out, please do so before moving forward with this one.**

 **Ninkita makes me laugh with her comments. Pamela is my own brand of therapy in the fic-world.**

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 **DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight. My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

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 **CHAPTER 11**

 **FLARING TEMPERS **

I didn't head back to the Bureau straight away. I drove around aimlessly, trying to clear my head, hoping to calm the mess inside just enough to be able to face people again without seeming crazy.

But it didn't work.

The utter grief in Bella's eyes and the way her voice had shook, as though she were holding back tears, plagued my mind. I couldn't focus, her dejected face playing on a loop in my thoughts, making the guilt in my chest flare.

I'd been so rude, so callous, even if what I'd said had been the truth.

For so long, I'd been miserable about the way she had completely broken off all ties with me, but it was only after my outburst today that I realized I'd been angry, too—angry with her for leaving me without a word, angry at the world for throwing such an impossible situation in our path, angry at myself for thinking I was good enough to survive at Quantico, throwing away everything that could have been in that process.

When I'd finally given up on trying to find the inner peace that was determined to elude me, I turned the car in the direction of the office. I reached my desk to find Tanya putting her jacket on.

"Hey," she said cautiously. "I've been calling you."

"Sorry, I was driving."

Her brow furrowed. "Okay." She dragged out the word, letting it linger between us, probably waiting for me to elaborate. When I didn't, she sighed. "I spoke to Rachel right here. She was heading downtown to run some errands. I got nothing new from her, though. Did you have better luck with Isabella?"

I turned away, pretending to examine some documents on my desk as I replied, "Nope. Same old. Saw nothing, heard nothing. Will let us know if anything pops."

Tanya cursed under her breath. "I haven't been able to contact Jacob at all. His phone was off, and when I called earlier in the day, he wasn't home. Rachel said she didn't know where he was, either."

I peeked at my watch. "Well, he's bound to be home now."

"Now?" Tanya looked surprised. "Don't you think it's a little late for a house visit? We don't have anything concrete to report, either. Just more questions."

I turned to her with a scowl. "We don't report to him. And asking questions is our job. His father is dead. I'm sure he can spend a few minutes talking to us to figure out what the hell happened that day."

Her eyebrows rose. "Okay, jeez. Relax, Rambo. If you wanna go, we'll go."

I didn't say anything else, just headed toward the elevator, and she followed, muttering something under her breath. I ignored it, so we rode down in silence, which continued to stretch on the drive over to Black Manor.

It was a maid who opened the door. She looked hesitant, scared even, as she reluctantly let us in.

Before I could inquire about the reason behind her behavior, a loud noise rang out from inside the house. Tanya and I shared a loaded glance before we side-stepped her, moving further inside while following the sound. The first bang had sounded like someone had dropped something heavy, but what we could hear now seemed like a man was shouting.

We traced it to the smaller study—the one where we had spoken to Jacob and Bella the day of the murder. The walls must've been thick, because even standing right outside the door, we could hear the muffled yells, but couldn't make out what exactly was being said.

I looked at Tanya, and she shrugged before raising her hand to knock on the door. As soon as she rapped, the yelling stopped.

A few seconds passed, but nothing happened.

She was just about to knock again, when the door was suddenly opened by a visibly upset Jacob Black.

His eyes grew baleful as he saw us. "What?"

"We were hoping to speak with you, Mr. Black," Tanya told him calmly. "Regarding your father's death."

A snort echoed from inside the room, and Jacob angled his head to look at whoever was inside. His hand fell away from the door, so I took the opportunity to push it open further.

I was surprised to see Bella there, along with another man I'd never seen before. He was tall, dark-skinned, and had the build of a fucking wrestler. His black hair was cropped short, making his face look even more severe.

Or maybe it was the scowl that did it.

He was standing in the center of the room, a large artifact lying broken at his feet, so I guessed he was the one who'd been throwing a fit. Bella looked nervous and contrite in her spot in the corner.

"What's this about?" Jacob asked sharply. "Kind of in the middle of something here."

Before we could answer him, the stranger took a menacing step forward. I braced myself, but he ignored me, his eyes fixed solely on Jacob.

"There's nothing more to say." His voice was gruff, and the tone left no room for further discussion. "I'm done. I'm so fucking done."

With one last heated glance around the room, he stormed out, banging the door shut behind him.

Tanya threw me a look that clearly said _What the fuck?_

All I could do was shrug in response.

Jacob stood frozen for a minute, staring at the door that was still vibrating in its frame. When he finally faced us again, somehow, his eyes seemed to hold even more spite than before.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Sir, we're just here to inquire if there's anything else you might've recalled about that day, or any strange behavior on your father's part," I told him. "We're having trouble finding a motive for his murder, so we were hopin—"

"Hoping I could do your job for you?" he snapped. "Rachel told me you spoke to her, too. What the hell do you think you're going to achieve by harassing my family in our time of grief? We already told you we didn't notice anything unusual. Do your fucking job, and figure out who did this, instead of wasting your time bothering us."

"Enough!"

We all turned to look at Bella, who stepped out of the corner and walked over to Jacob.

His eyes didn't lose any of the hostility as they peered at her, and I struggled to suppress the urge to pull her away from him. Nevertheless, my hands balled into fists, watching him closely, ready to step in if he dared to raise a finger.

"Stop it, Jacob," Bella continued, undeterred by Jacob's stance. "You're not a child! Answer the damn questions. They're only trying to solve Billy's murder. Throwing a tantrum isn't going to help anyone. Grow up, for God's sake!"

He stood his ground, huffing furiously for a few more seconds before looking at us. "I have nothing to add," he gritted. "There, you have your answer. Now go do what you're paid to do, and find out who did this to my dad without troubling my family."

Tanya started to say something, but I placed my hand on her arm to stop her. He was not going to come out with any useful information, if it even existed, in this state of mind.

Jacob threw us a tight nod before leaving the room.

Bella shook her head, turning to us with an apology in her eyes. "He's . . . just upset. There have been some issues at work, and he has to sort it out alone. It's taking a toll on him. I'm sorry for . . . that." She waved a hand in the direction of his departure. "And earlier. That was Embry Call, Jacob's friend. They were having words, and it just . . . escalated quickly."

"That's alright, Miss Swan," Tanya assured her. "Mr. Call seems to have a bit of a temper. Should we be looking into him? I don't recall his name on the guest list."

Bella's brow furrowed. "Oh, no. He couldn't have anything to do with this. He has been away on a business trip for a month. He wasn't even in the country on the day of the . . . incident. He returned to the States on a flight the next day. He isn't . . . You know how things are with friends. Sometimes, it gets a little tense, but this was nothing." She smiled weakly. "Plus, as far as I know, he hasn't even met Billy, ever."

"It's jus—" My words were cut off with a gasp when I felt something wrap tightly around my legs. My hands splayed out slightly as I tried to balance myself.

I looked down and found two small arms hooked under my knees. They led up to a curious little face staring at me through wide, inquisitive eyes. "Who are you?"

"Seth!" Bella admonished gently. "Let go of him."

Seth immediately released me, and I kneeled before him. "Hey, buddy. I'm Edward Cullen."

"I'm Seth Lahote-Black," he announced proudly. "It's nice to meet you." He held out his free hand, the other one clutching a brown teddy bear close to his chest.

I couldn't help but smile as I shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, too." He didn't smile back, regarding me with such deep interest that looked almost wrong on his little face.

"What are you doing up so late, sweetie?" Bella asked, dropping to her knees before him. "It's way past your bedtime."

He pointed to his cuddle. "I was looking for Brownie," he explained. "Mommy was reading story, then she said I had to sleep. I said I need Brownie, and I forgot Brownie downstairs. He was scared."

Bella reached out to cup his cheek. "Well, you found him now, right? Is he alright now that he's with you?"

Seth nodded seriously. "Uh-huh. Brownie is happy now."

"Then why don't you both go on up to your room now, okay? Mommy is waiting for you, right? We don't want her to worry."

Seth nodded again, before planting a quick kiss to her cheek. "Good night, Bella."

"Good night, sweetie. Sleep tight."

He shot Tanya and me a quick wave before running out as fast as he'd come.

Bella stared after him with wistfully. "He loves that bear. Billy gave it to him two years ago," she explained. "Other toys have come and gone since then, but Brownie was here to stay. If he loses sight of it, you wouldn't believe the screams that'd come out of his tiny body."

 _Given the way his uncle behaved, I wasn't that surprised._

"He's such a sweet, smart little guy," Bela murmured, almost to herself. "I wish he hadn't had to be exposed to the worst realities of the world so soon."

Her face was open, wiped clean of all pretenses and worries, soft but with a tinge of sadness brimming in those brown eyes . . . sadness, I surmised, for the little boy who had missed out on his father's love for years, and now his grandfather's.

"You love him," I deduced, and she smiled.

The genuine kindness reflecting in her eyes reminded me so much of the Bella I'd known. No matter what she said now, this part of her, at least, had certainly survived through the years.

"I do." She seemed to remember herself with a start, and rose to her feet. "I'm sorry, I was rambling, wasn't I? I guess I'm just exhausted." She threaded her fingers through her hair, pushing the long locks behind her ear. "I'll speak to Jacob once he's calmer tomorrow morning. I'll give you a call if he has something to say."

"Thank you," I replied, and then realized that Tanya had been silent for a while. I glanced at her and found a look of deep contemplation on her face. "We'll let ourselves out."

"Oh, I'll head out, too." Bella grabbed her purse from the table, before following us out.

Tanya was still quiet next to me as we made our way toward our car, while Bella turned the other way to get hers. Curious and concerned, I waited until we were strapped in before I voiced my question. "Is everything okay, Tan?"

She said nothing for a long minute, just stared blankly in the direction of Bella's departing taillights. I grew more nervous as the seconds ticked by.

"Tanya?" I prompted again.

Ever so slowly, she turned her head toward me. Her eyes were intent, her mouth pressed into a flat line of determination. She finally opened her mouth to speak.

"No, everything is _not_ okay. But it will be . . . as soon as you tell me what the fuck is going on between you and Isabella Swan."

Time stopped as her words sunk in, my muddled brain taking them apart and putting them together until they made some sense.

"What?" I stalled.

Tanya's eyes narrowed. "Don't even try to lie to me. What the fuck was that? You were talking about that kid . . . and she looked at you like you're . . . a freaking angel or something. And don't even get me started on the way you stared at her." She banged her fist against her knee. "Damn it! I can't believe I didn't see it before. I mean, I did think something felt off, but I never made the connection back to her." Her eyes widened suddenly, as though something else had clicked into place in her mind. "You were with her this afternoon . . . for hours. And when you came back you were practically frothing at your mouth! I'm so stupid . . . how did I never see it?"

"Tanya . . ." I started, but I had no idea what came next.

She held up a hand. "Don't bother. You know what? Get out of the car," she ordered. "I'm going to drive, and we're going to my place."

"Do you really thin—"

"We're going to _my_ place," she reiterated. "And do not say another word until we get there. Get your words in order from start to finish because I'm not going to give up until you've told me everything you've been hiding. I've been patient long enough."

She opened the door and walked around to the driver's side. Pulling my door open, she gestured for me to step out.

"You owe me some answers, and you _will_ give them to me tonight."

* * *

 **A/N: Damn right. Yes, Edward will be getting wordy next time.**

 **I believe we've now introduced all the characters involved in the plot, so next time onwards, it's time to let some secrets unfold.**

 **Pics and teasers can be found in my FB group, Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed (Link is on my profile)**

* * *

 **FIC REC:** **Stranded** **by staceygirl aka jackbauer:** Bella gets stranded in a small town during a record storm. She meets Edward whom she is immediately attracted to and befriends, but why is it that everyone in the town seems to treat him like some sort of monster? Can she help him find peace again?


	12. Chapter 12 : Reliving the Past

**A/N: Hello, beautiful people. Ready to listen to Edward fess up?**

 **An optional tissue warning to be issued here . . . It's gonna be sad . . . You might shed a tear or two. But we all want to get it out of the way, don't we?**

 **Always a huge thank you to Ninkita and Pamela.**

* * *

 **DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight. My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

* * *

 **CHAPTER 12**

 **RELIVING THE PAST**

As soon as we'd walked into the apartment, Tanya threw her purse and jacket on a side-table before heading into the kitchen. My movements were sluggish, hesitant as I made my way to the couch, dreading what was to come.

She returned with a beer for herself and handed me a glass of scotch. I shot her a grateful look before chugging a huge gulp. I shivered as the liquid burned down my throat, but there was a strange comfort in the warmth it left behind.

I looked up to find Tanya's eyes trained on me. I opened my mouth, but she stopped me before I could utter a word.

"No lies, please," she requested, hurt emanating from her eyes. "I can't . . . I can't explain how it feels, Edward . . . knowing that you've been keeping something from me. We're supposed to be partners! We're supposed to have each other's backs. How can we do that if you keep yourself buried in secrets? I didn't push you to say much in the past, but this is different. This time it's about a case, and I'm not going to let you keep pertinent information from me."

"I wasn't going to lie," I muttered. "Not now."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, before waving a hand in my direction. "Then by all means . . . get to it."

I swallowed hard, polishing off my drink before setting the empty glass on the center table. Tanya waited silently while I gathered my thoughts.

"I'm not going to lie," I repeated. "I know you deserve to know the truth. I've always trusted you, Tanya. Please don't doubt that. It's just that I've tried to push these memories away for so long, that it's not easy for me to share them with someone . . . to relive them. But I always knew that one day, I'd have no choice. You'd demand to know, and if I didn't give you the answers, you would give up on my sorry ass and leave . . . like I deserve."

"Memories that have something to do with Isabella Swan?"

She said nothing about the latter part of my admission, and I didn't push. I simply sighed, and then nodded. "I first met Bella when we were both in our final year of college."

I started by telling her about the blind date—the first time I'd seen her, the first time I'd spoken to her, the first time I'd been so taken by someone within minutes of meeting them. I went on to explain how quickly we'd fallen into a relationship that only went from strength to strength. Days had turned into weeks, and then months, until we became inseparable.

"I expressed my feelings for her three months after we'd met." I couldn't help but smile, thinking of that beautiful day, us walking across the quad when I simply couldn't hold myself back any longer. "She was laughing at something silly, looking so damn gorgeous with the sunlight glinting off her hair. I just couldn't wait and blurted out that I loved her. She was shocked into silence for the longest five seconds of my life before she jumped into my arms and told me she felt the same."

When my attention snapped back to the present, I found Tanya gaping at me in undiluted shock. "You loved her?" she whispered. "Or you still love her?"

I held her gaze, wanting to lie, aching to lie, but knowing I couldn't. Even if I didn't admit it to her, I would never be able to hide it from myself.

Then what was the point anyway?

"I love her," I replied quietly. "I always have."

"Dear God," she muttered under her breath. "And we ran into her on her wedding day."

"Fucked up, huh?"

"What the hell happened? If you both loved each other so much, why did you split up?"

I eyed my empty glass, wishing I'd left a little to get me through the rest of the story. As it was, I wasn't about to ask Tanya for some more and risk her wrath. I scrubbed a hand over my face, preparing myself to drown in what had been one of the worst days of my life.

 _"_ _Bella?" I called, pushing the door open._

 _The fact that it was unlocked, but she was nowhere to be seen sent an uncomfortable twinge down my spine. I peeked into the kitchen, but it was just as empty as the living room._

 _Walking further, I stopped when I saw the bedroom door ajar. Light was streaming through the gap, so I stepped forward, pushing it open._

 _A huge sigh of relief escaped me when I saw Bella sitting on her bed, unharmed. Her eyes were fixed on her cell phone, so she didn't notice me._

 _"_ _You had me worried there, baby," I said, taking a seat beside her. I pressed my lips to her temple, but she didn't turn to me like she usually did. She remained frozen, staring at the phone in her hands with a lost, blank look in her eyes._

 _Concern welled up inside me again. "Bella?" I caressed her cheek before angling her face toward me. The tear-tracks on her cheeks sent my anxiety into over-drive. "What's wrong, baby? Are you okay?"_

 _She clearly wasn't. Her eyes were facing me, but they were glassy . . . unfocussed._

 _I squeezed her hands, and that's when she startled back to life._

 _"_ _Shh, shh. It's me, baby," I murmured cautiously as awareness returned to her face. "What's wrong? Talk to me."_

 _"_ _Edward," she whispered through barely moving lips._

 _"_ _I'm here. I'm here, Bella. Please, you're scaring me. Tell me what happened."_

 _"_ _My dad," she gasped. "He's dying, Edward. Ca-cancer . . . last stage."_

 _Her words sank in slowly, and I pulled her closer. She sagged against me, a painful sob ripping through her hunched frame._

 _"_ _I'm sorry," I whispered over and over, pressing soft kisses over her forehead while she continued to weep._

 _We sat there for a long time, and she handed me her phone. I read through the email and realized that Charlie had apparently been diagnosed months ago. They'd been trying various treatment options ever since, but nothing had worked. Charlie hid it from Bella, not wanting to worry her until now . . . because the doctors had declared that there was nothing more they could do. He had a year or so to live, and that was why he was finally disclosing the truth to his daughter . . . so that he could spend his last days with her._

 _"_ _He's . . . he's all I have, Edward," Bella cried, shuddering in my arms. "He can't leave me. I can't . . . I can't lose him."_

 _My eyes pricked, tears threatening to spill over at the sound of my girl's gut-wrenching sobs and the utter helplessness that'd crippled me in wake of her grief._

 _"_ _I'm so sorry."_

 _She pulled away suddenly, and I noticed a frantic gleam in her eyes. "I have to go! I have to go to him. Grandpa . . . he had the same disease!" she groaned. "He was in so much pain." Her voice broke, and she shook her head, as if to dispel agonizing memories. "I should be with him."_

 _I nodded, taking her hands in mine. "Take a moment, baby. Breathe," I soothed. "We'll book your ticket, okay? We'll book it right away. But you have to calm yourself. You can't fall apart now if you're going to help him. Shh, it'll be okay."_

 _She clutched at my shirt. "Come with me!" she gasped desperately. "Come with me, please. I can't . . . I don't know how to do this alone."_

 _Guilt rose within my chest, growing until it nearly crushed me from inside out. "I can't," I choked out. "I have to . . . I have to leave for Quantico tomorrow." Her hands fell away, and I reached out to take them again. "Bella, I . . . I promised Masen. I might never get the chance again. I'm . . . I'm so sorry."_

 _Bella pulled herself free from my grasp, wiping her tears away. "You're right. You need to go. I can't be so selfish and ask thi—"_

 _"_ _You're not being selfish," I interrupted quickly. "I just . . . I feel . . ."_

 _She shushed me, placing a hand over my lips, before moving it to my cheeks. Her fingers traced my face, and a sense of foreboding roared its ugly head inside me. I squashed it down with all my might._

 _"_ _Bella . . ."_

 _"_ _I think you should go," she told me, her voice so much calmer than before, and that was what scared me._

 _"_ _Bella, please do—"_

 _"_ _I need some time alone. Please," she begged, and my chest tightened painfully. "I'll book a flight for first thing tomorrow morning. I need to pull myself together before then."_

 _Every fiber of my being ached to ignore her request, but I could see it in her eyes that she'd made her decision._

 _She didn't want me with her right now._

 _"_ _Can I come see you before you leave?" I pleaded._

 _She looked hesitant for a moment, but eventually nodded. "Okay."_

 _"_ _Thank you," I breathed, pressing my lips to her forehead. "I love you, Bella."_

 _I didn't notice it until I was halfway to my dorm, but she'd never said it back._

A tear trickled down Tanya's cheek as I paused.

"So you left?" she murmured sadly, all her rage washed away.

"I had no choice. If I hadn't, she would've walked out herself. I knew she would've." I shook my head. "And I couldn't bear to think of her anywhere but at home, safe and sound, in that state of mind."

Tanya nodded her understanding. "She was close to her father, huh?"

"Very close," I whispered. "He'd raised her all by himself. Bella's mother hadn't been in the picture since Bella was a toddler. She had different dreams in life, I suppose. But Charlie never let her feel her mother's absence. He was everything to her . . . as was she to him. You could practically hear the respect and affection in her voice when she talked about him."

"Poor Bella," Tanya breathed, wiping a tear away. "What happened the next morning? Did you go see her?"

"I couldn't wait. I went back later that same evening."

 _"_ _Damn it!" I yelled as I missed the elevator by mere seconds, and it started its journey upwards._

 _I couldn't wait, though. I had to see Bella. I needed her to tell me we'd be okay. I would join her at her father's place as soon as I was done with my training. I would hold her hand and be by her side, just as she'd wanted._

 _We'd be fine._

 _I started for the stairs, ignoring the burn in my lungs and focusing solely on Bella to keep me going, one flight after another._

 _When I finally reached Bella's apartment, I was completely out of breath. I doubled over, bracing my hands on my knees, and struggled to get some oxygen into my lungs._

 _I finally managed to drag my eyes up, only to look at the large lock on Bella's door._

 _"_ _No!" I cried, scrambling to my feet and running for the elevator._

 _I found her just as she was about to go in._

 _"_ _Bella!"_

 _She spun on her feet, and her eyes widened._

 _"_ _Don't go," I begged, taking note of the suitcase that was the only thing now keeping the mechanical doors open. "Not like this, Bella."_

 _"_ _I have to," she rasped as her eyes welled up. "My father needs me."_

 _"_ _I know," I panted. "But just give me a min—"_

 _"_ _He always says there are no guarantees in life," she interrupted me in a soft, calm voice that did nothing to allay my panic. "Every day you wake up, you're going in blind, making decisions you think are best, but never knowing where you'll end up because of them." She walked over to me, coming closer until she could reach out to touch my cheek. "That's what we're doing," she whispered. "We're making the choices we can live with, Edward. We're going in blind and hoping for the best."_

 _Despite her words, there was nothing but despair in her eyes._

 _I felt empty inside—no words, no assurances, no promises to give her_ _ _—_ because I knew she'd given up._

 _On me._

 _On us._

 _She leaned in, and I let my eyes fall shut. Her lips were a soft whisper as they brushed against mine, just for a second, before they were gone . . . she was gone._

 _She started to step back and I could do nothing but watch, frozen, worn, defeated . . . broken._

 _"_ _Goodbye, Edward," she whispered, pulling her suitcase into the cabin of the elevator._

 _I fell to my knees, all the air leaving my lungs in a gush as I took in a final glimpse of her before the metal doors shut, whisking her away from me._

* * *

 **A/N: No, he's not done talking just yet. But we've got a lot more ground to cover in the 'now' next time, so we'll break it off here.**

 **For pics and teasers, join my group on FB: Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. Link is on my profile.**

 **See you next time.**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Day to Day by The Irish Cullen – When Edward's older brother Emmett decides it time for Edward to come out of his OCD shell, Edward will find himself doing something he never imagined he would. Falling in love. A story about truly finding yourself and living your life for you.**


	13. Chapter 13 : Making Mistakes

**A/N: Back in a week. Maybe I should officially make that our schedule, hmm?**

 **Lots of passionate reviews last time :) Thanks for sharing them with me! It was quite interesting to see how some of you sided with either Edward or Bella, while others saw how impossibly convoluted their situation had been.**

 **There were moments when I wanted to justify my characters . . . but I decided against it. All I'll say is that I agree with everyone's comments because they boil down to the same thing: They're people. They're not perfect. Neither is life.**

 **My gratitude goes out to Pamela and Ninkita for their feedback and support.**

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 **CHAPTER 13**

 **MAKING MISTAKES**

The room felt stuffy, like the walls were about to close in on me. I pressed my palm against my forehead, feeling a nasty headache coming on as I recalled the moments when love, life . . . meaning had come crumbling down with one little twist of fate.

Tanya was silent, too. Maybe she didn't know what to say . . . maybe she had nothing to say.

On second thought, it had to be the former.

There were still many questions I'd left unanswered, and I had no doubt they would come pouring soon enough.

Suddenly, she rose to her feet and marched into the kitchen. I frowned, puzzled, until she returned with more drinks for both of us. She handed me my glass wordlessly, and then plopped down beside me.

She laid her hand on mine, squeezing gently, and whispered, "I'm so sorry."

I forced myself to shrug lightly, though I had never felt as weighed down as I did in that moment.

"There was no wrong choice there," she added. "In fact, the only one you both could've lived with was the one you made. If either of you had stayed, you would've ended up resenting each other."

I couldn't help the humorless snort that left my mouth, remembering how Bella had used that exact word to describe how she felt about me back then.

"What happened then? I mean, even if you'd made it to the FBI, Quantico was only a matter of a few months. You could've been with Bella after that."

"Maybe," I sighed. "Believe me, that was the only piece of hope I hung on to while I was in the academy. I knew I would have to work hard to win her back, but I was willing to do whatever she asked of me." I sipped at my drink, wincing as I swallowed it. "But she had other plans."

Tanya's eyebrows lifted expectantly.

"She had changed all of her contact information," I explained. I kept my eyes on my drink, watching the gold and amber liquid slosh with every flick of my wrist. "I tried anything and everything I could think of . . . but she was gone. I even considered just showing up at her father's place, figuring that we could work this out, face-to-face."

"There's a 'but' coming, isn't it?"

"I had the address and the phone number written down somewhere. I called . . ." I shook my head with a weary sigh, remembering the moment my last hope had fallen through. "I called, and the new owner of the house picked up. He told me that Charlie had sold the house as soon as Bella had arrived, and then they'd relocated elsewhere, but he didn't know where that was. Once he stopped his treatment, he was free to leave the hospital and go wherever he wished." I gulped down another mouthful of the scotch. "My guess? Somewhere near the beach. Bella used to tell me how Charlie had always dreamed of living in a beach town, but his job as the Senator didn't allow him much freedom. If I knew her at all, she would've taken it upon herself to make sure he spent the last months of his life living out those dreams."

"Beach," Tanya murmured thoughtfully. "That doesn't narrow it down enough, but . . ." She eyed me speculatively. "Once you joined the Bureau, you could've easily sought her out—phone number, address, everything. But you didn't."

"But I didn't," I confessed. I looked at her, and her expression told me she didn't understand. "She had done everything in her power to get away from me, Tan. She obviously didn't want to see me. I couldn't . . . I couldn't bear the thought of violating her privacy and then showing up there, only to find out exactly how much she hated me. if she had decided to move on, I didn't think I had any right to butt in, just because I could."

"Oh, Edward . . ." she whispered sadly, squeezing my hand again.

I smiled wryly.

If she was feeling sorry for me already, she was about to feel worse.

"I kept emailing her for months. I still don't know if she ever saw them. I kept my phone number and email id the same as they were in college . . . the ones she knew. If she wished to contact me, I made sure that she could do so. That was all I could . . ." I trailed off as the lump in my throat made speaking impossible.

I swallowed it down with the last of my drink before leaning back and closing my eyes.

"She could've contacted you," Tanya said heatedly. "She should've contacted you. If she truly loved you, she wou—"

I interrupted her tirade, giving her the same explanation Bella had shared with me two nights ago—her resentment, her fear, her grief . . . I laid it all out for Tanya as best as I could.

Once I was finished, she was quiet for a minute, probably deep in thought.

When she finally spoke again, she sounded reluctant . . . begrudging. "I guess I see her point of view. But that doesn't make what she did right. She blocked you out . . ."

"When she was dealing with the death of her only parent," I finished. "He lived for two years after Bella went to him. I couldn't imagine even a day out of that being easy on her. Her grandfather had died of the same disease. Bella had witnessed his agony in his last few months. Watching her father go through that, while she sat there, helpless . . . it changed her. And on the other hand, there's me. What good did Quantico do for me anyway?"

"Hey!" Tanya protested. "If you hadn't gone there, you wouldn't have met me."

I managed a weak smile. "True. I take my words back. But . . . it's not easy to avoid that feeling when I think about everything I could've had if I'd chosen to go with Bella."

"But you didn't _know_ , Edward," she stressed. "You didn't know you wouldn't get in. Neither of us did. We both left our lives behind to chase a dream that didn't work out. That doesn't mean the dream was wrong, or we were wrong. It just wasn't the right time."

"I've turned it around every which way over and over in all these years, and I'm still not sure about it."

Tanya sighed, but refrained from arguing with me. "Life's really fucked up, isn't it? What are the odds that you'd run into her on her wedding day, and that too, for a case?" She paused suddenly, and her eyes narrowed. "Speaking of the case, I can't believe you haven't told McCarty about your history with Bella." She smacked my arm. "I'm still so pissed you didn't tell _me!"_

"For the second part, I'm sorry," I offered. "As far as McCarty is concerned, there is nothing to tell. Bella and I knew each other for six months, and we haven't even spoken to each other in six years! She's practically married to another man, for God's sake!"

" _Knew_ each other," she scoffed. "This is a woman you loved, Edward. A woman you still love! How can you be objective when she's a person of interest?"

"You've watched me so far, haven't you?" I countered. "Did you think I was favoring her in any way?"

"We don't have anything against her yet."

"Then there's no problem."

"How can you say that?" she groaned. "We might find something. She might become a suspect. When the time comes, what the hell are you going to do?"

" _If_ that time comes," I amended. "I will do my job."

She looked uncertain. "Edward . . ."

"Look, you're going to be there anyway. If you think, for one moment, that my past is clouding my judgement, you can go tell McCarty straight away. Until then, we'll carry on as we're doing now. Deal?"

"Great. As if I don't have enough shit to do. Add babysitting Edward to the list." She threw me an exaggerated eye-roll. "Oh, wait! That was already on the list!"

"Smartass," I muttered, taking her empty bottle away. "You're done for the night."

She smirked, but the effect was ruined when a huge yawn broke out on her face. "I guess I am." She stretched her arms with a groan. "God, this was a lot to take in at ten in the night."

I shrugged. "You asked."

"Smartass," she snapped back before standing. "I guess you're crashing here."

"No, it's okay, I cou—"

"Don't be silly," she cut me off, yawning again. "It's late, and . . ." She waved a hand toward my empty glasses. "Just take the guest room, Edward. I promise not to sneak into your bed this time."

"Very funny."

She held her hand up. "Scout's honor."

"You were never a scout."

"Eh. Same sentiment." She waved at me before heading toward the bedroom. She stopped short at the door, though, pausing for a moment before turning back to me. The amusement on her face was gone, replaced by what looked like sincerity. "You may not be sure about the what-ifs, but don't ever doubt one thing, Edward. You deserve to be happy. And one day, you _will_ see that what happened wasn't your fault . . . not one bit of it. I hope that day comes soon." She gave me a small smile before heading inside, shutting the door behind her.

It took me a whole minute to gather enough strength to pull myself up to my feet. Then I shut off the lights before making my way to the guest bedroom.

I removed my shirt, draping it over a chair before plopping face-down on the bed. The waistband of my jeans dug into my skin, but I was way too exhausted to care. I simply turned onto my back and pulled the covers up to my chest. The draining day, plus the scotch ensured that a deep, dreamless sleep claimed me within minutes.

It was the sound of my phone that woke me quite jarringly the next morning.

My bleary eyes were no more than slits as I tried to read the name on the screen. They opened wide, though, a rush of adrenaline pumping through my veins, when I realized it was Alice.

"You and your husband keep some odd hours," I said in lieu of a greeting.

A peal of laughter trickled through the line. "Good morning to you, too, sunshine. I thought you, of all people, would be glad to hear from me at any time of the day, seeing as I was doing you a favor."

I suppressed a yawn and sat up. "I'm very grateful, Alice. I'll be even more grateful if you could tell me what you found."

"That's why I called," she teased. "So, I gathered you were interested in the sedative found in Billy's blood. That is the only finding we have that points toward a murder."

"Right."

"I dug deeper and did some calculations. Based on the state of Billy's liver, his prescriptions in the past few months, and a chat I had with the doctor who was treating him, I believe that he hadn't been taking the drugs long enough to have developed tolerance, as Dr. Banner suggested."

I sighed. "Could you dumb it down a little for me? I'm sorry, I literally woke up a minute ago."

"Sure," she replied through a chuckle. "My calculations suggest that the dose we found in Billy's blood is a bit on the higher side that what it should've been had he taken it himself."

"So you think this could be part of the plan? The killer first dosed him to put him to sleep, so that when they injected him with cocaine, he wouldn't struggle."

"I think that's likely," she answered cautiously. "But, Edward, know this—the human body is not a machine that works on precise numbers. Given his general state of health, Billy's metabolism would be different than a normal person."

"I'm sure you took that into account already," I said.

"Will you please listen? I'm saying that this is not enough, okay? Banner's theory could still be true. Even if it isn't, it's enough for any lawyer to get this case thrown out before the trial. You can't build a murder case based solely on this."

"I hear you," I offered. "But this is the first mistake the killer has made. So far, the murder had been planned to perfection—so many people in the house, the crime scene suggestive of a suicide. This is the first break we have, no matter how small. I know there's not going to be a domino effect here, but at least things are starting to go in the right direction."

"I _might_ be able to give you a little more push. Or maybe just a nudge."

"You found something else, too?"

"I might've," she repeated. "I need another hour to confirm that it's useful."

I frowned. "What is it?"

"I'll tell you in an hour. You'll be here by then, won't you?"

"Yeah, but Alice . . ."

"I have to go, Edward. I need to finish this quick before Dr. Banner gets in. He didn't think this would be of use to us, but you asked me to explore all avenues. That's what I'm doing. I just need a little more time."

"Alright," I sighed. "I'll let you know as soon as I get there, okay?"

"Yeah, shoot me a text. I'll come see you at your desk."

"See you then."

I ended the call and pushed the covers aside, jumping out of the bed to go tell Tanya about Alice's find. I pulled the door open, only to run into her right outside.

"Morni—"

She shushed me immediately, looking at me through squinted eyes. Her forehead was pinched and her eyes were drawn in a way I'd seen a few times before. I could guess what was wrong.

"Migraine?" I asked for confirmation in a whisper.

"Yes," she croaked. "Since four in the morning."

"What the hell are you doing out here?" I wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and led her back to her bed.

"The meds started to kick in, so I thought I'd grab a couple of hours of sleep. That's the only thing that helps. But I figured I might get nauseated later on and wanted to keep the pills with me, just in case." She held up an empty container. "I was going to get more from the closet in the bathroom."

I helped her settle in and pulled the blanket over her body. "Stay here. I'll get it."

I rushed to the bathroom, looking for the drug, but found nothing except some Advil. I returned to the bedroom and told Tanya as much.

She groaned quietly. "I must've forgotten to get it filled. I haven't had an attack in so long."

"Don't worry. I'll go out and get some right now."

"You don—"

"Shh." I squeezed her shoulder. "The pharmacy is right down the block. I'll be back soon, okay?" I searched for her phone and handed it to her. "Just call it in and order the refill. The owner knows you, right?"

"Yeah," she whispered. "I'll let him know you're coming."

I slipped into the guest bedroom, pulled my shirt on, and grabbed my wallet before making my way out. Walking to the pharmacy only took five minutes, and the man at the counter quickly got me what I needed.

I thanked him and left, checking the pills one more time before heading back to Tanya's apartment. I was looking inside the bag, and didn't notice when I walked right into another person.

"I'm so sorry," I rushed to apologize as the woman before me, thankfully still on her feet, righted herself. I reached out to help her. "Are you okay, ma'am? I'm very sorry. I wasn't lookin—"

"Edward? Edward Cullen?" she gasped, and I pulled my hand back, startled. Her eyes sparkled in delight as she went on without waiting for an answer. "Wow! It has been _ages_ since I last saw you! Remember me? I'm Angela Weber-Cheney. Bella's—"

"Bella's friend, of course. Hi," I said quickly, shaking her hand. I'd been having a hard time putting a name to her face, but as soon as she said it herself, recognition dawned on me. "Yeah, it has been a while."

"You're not on social media, are you? We've talked about you a few times over there."

"I'm sorry, but who's _we_?"

"Oh, how silly of me!" She giggled. "I meant our classmates from college. We have several groups of the university alumni of Facebook. There's even a page and a community. You should join!"

I smiled apologetically. "I like to keep away from social media. I'm an Agent with the Bureau of Investigation, so it just . . . complicates matters sometimes."

Her eyes widened. "Wow! I know a Federal Agent? How exciting!"

"Not federal . . ." I started to correct her, but then thought better of it. "You know what? That's fine. Actually, I need to get go—"

"Hey, you must have information on the Billy Black murder case, then, huh? Isn't your department investigating it?"

I halted in my tracks, not having expected that line of questioning. "You're keeping tabs on the case?"

Angela, on the other hand, looked at me as if I was dumb.

"Of course!" she enthused. "It came as such a shock to all of us when we saw Bella's name in the news! I mean, some of us have been following her relationship with Jacob Black in articles online, but the wedding came as a surprise! Especially because no one from our college friend circle was invited."

"Is that so?" I replied, a little distracted as I looked at my watch. I needed to get this medication to Tanya. But Angela was in no mood to let me go just yet.

"Yes, it was quite shocking! Bella was always such an integral part of our group." She frowned. "And we completely lost touch after graduation. It's strange, isn't it? We were so close, she was my maid of honor! And I didn't even know where and when her wedding was happening."

"Her father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer," I explained. "That's when she lost touch with everyone."

Angela's hand covered her mouth. "Oh my! I'm so sorry. I never knew. Is that why . . . the two of you also . . ."

"Yes," was all I said.

"Such a shame," she murmured. "I used to think you guys were the real deal, you know? The way you looked at her . . . Ben doesn't look at me like that even today! And I _know_ he loves me. But what you and Bella had was something really special."

"I guess life doesn't always work out the way you want. Angela, I'm so sorry to cut you short, but I need to leave." I smiled tightly, holding up my purchase. "My friend is suffering from a migraine, and I need to give her these tablets."

"Oh, of course," she rushed to say. "Sorry to keep you! I hope your friend feels better really soon." She pulled out a slip of paper from her purse. "Here's my card! It has my number on it. We should catch up."

"Thank you. It was really nice meeting you." I nodded goodbye before turning away.

"We can also keep in touch if you change your mind about Facebook!" she called after me. "I'm sure everyone will be happy to hear from you."

"I'll think about it," I yelled back, waving as I started to make my way further down the street.

I ran back to the apartment, only to find Tanya deeply asleep. I tiptoed into her room and placed a glass of water along with the medicines on her bedside table. I also scrawled out a quick note, telling her that I needed to go to work because Alice had something important to share. I placed the note underneath her phone. She shifted in her sleep, a frown marring her forehead. I pulled the blanket up to her chin and kissed the top of her head before making my way out.

I grabbed a quick shower at my place and then drove to the Bureau. Jasper was already at his desk, poring over some photographs as I walked in.

"What's all this?" I asked, but when my eyes landed on the Jasper's favorite corkboard, now filled with details from the case, understanding dawned on me. "Never mind. I get it."

Jasper folded his hands across his chest, smiling proudly. "Good work, eh? Finally got it all organized. I didn't know who to put in the suspect list for now, so I just have them all up there together." He indicated the left half of the board where he'd pinned up photographs of the Black family, Bella, as well as Mrs. Cope's new employees—Austin and Katie.

"That's fine," I remarked, walking around his desk to check out the photographs he had laid out there. "Hopefully, Alice can help us narrow it down. These are the crime scene pictures?"

"Yep. The local PD had also checked out some pictures in the guests' cell phones. Nothing stood out, but I've put them here, too. I've been checking them and the CCTV footage again, in case we missed something."

I grimaced. "I doubt it, Jasper. Whoever did this had planned it out quite well. We can't even conclusively prove it to be a murder yet. I doubt they'll leave a trace there."

"I guess you're right," he sighed. "No harm in double-checking, though. Oh, Boss, did you speak to Alice?"

"Yeah, she asked me to message her when I got here. I did that from the elevator. She should be here soon."

He nodded and went back to his work, so I let him be. I stepped over to the corkboard, raking my eyes across its surface. I paused for a second, lingering on Bella's photograph a little longer before moving on.

I frowned at one picture in particular, inching closer to study it. It wasn't one I'd ever seen before. I looked at the corner and realized that Jasper had downloaded this from some gossip website . . . to what avail, I didn't know.

It seemed innocent enough—comprising of the entire Black family dressed to the nines. In the center sat Billy, and Jacob stood behind him. Rebecca was on one side, holding her son in her arms, and Bella on the other.

Looking at their body language, they seemed like a perfectly normal, loving family. Everyone wore large smiles, huddling close to each other,

Yet, something wasn't right . . . otherwise, Billy Black wouldn't have been murdered.

I pursed my lips, wondering what it was we were missing, when Alice's voice interrupted my musings.

"Did you get some coffee in your system?" she chimed, holding up a manila envelope. "Because I've got something that's going to get the gears in your head turning."

I smiled. "Chugged down an espresso in record time on the drive here. Hit me with it."

She walked over to my desk and started upturning the envelope. I followed curiously, as did Jasper, but he suddenly stopped short.

"Wait, where's Tanya?"

I rubbed my hand against my forehead. "I forgot to tell you she might not come in today. She had a migraine early this morning."

"Ouch," Alice said sympathetically, wincing. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yeah, she took some medication, and it was already starting to get better when I saw her before coming here. She has been having them since she was nineteen, but this one came after a long gap. She'll be okay once she manages to sleep for a couple of hours. I'll keep her apprised of what happens."

Alice nodded. "Okay, then. Here goes." She held up a plastic evidence bag, and inside it lay what looked like a piece of partially burnt paper. I glanced behind her and found that there were several other similar ones she had placed on my desk.

I took the one in her hand, bringing it close to my face for inspection. "What are these?"

"They're burnt remains of some official documents," she explained. "I found a partial seal which I matched to the impression used by the Senator's office."

My eyes snapped up to hers. "Senator's office?" I struggled to maintain an outward calm while my insides twisted with anxiety. "Where did you find these?"

"A tech brought it as evidence from Isabella Swan's room."

I cast my mind back, immediately recalling the forensic tech who had made his way into Bella's room, just as Tanya and I were leaving it.

Unaware of my turmoil, Alice went on. "He said he saw she had lit up a fire when there was no need of one, and found it suspicious. He found several charred pieces of paper which had been burned recently. Dr. Banner didn't think it was important, so he chucked it aside. But as you said, I had to look for anything he'd miss. So I snagged the box and worked on them myself. These six pieces are the only ones I could manage to preserve just enough to make sense of a couple of words on them."

My mouth went dry. "What words?"

"Charles Swan," Alice announced while her eyebrows rose. "Isabella's dad."

"I . . ." I cleared my throat and placed the evidence bag back on the table. "I don't see how this is relevant."

Alice's mouth fell open in disbelief. She turned to Jasper, who looked equally mystified before addressing me. "Are you serious? She burnt those documents before the police arrived, probably right after the murder. Obviously, there's something she was trying to hide."

"Charles Swan died of cancer four years ago," I stated with as much calmness as I could muster. "Whatever she was doing with these doesn't need to have anything to do with Black's murder."

"You were the one insisting that there was something we overlooked!" she exclaimed. "I found it for you. I know it might not be relevant, but it's worth looking into, isn't it? Why have you suddenly gone all . . . mellow? I thought you'd be excited about this."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Alice. I didn't mean that. Of course we should look into it. Thank you so much for your help."

She nodded, a little mollified, but still not completely convinced. "There's just one more thing that struck me as interesting. There were no fingerprints at all on the bag of cocaine found in Billy's drawer. Why would he wipe them down himself, you know? It's the work of a murderer trying to cover their tracks."

"I agree. That makes sense. They must've forgotten to put Billy's prints on the bag, like they did with the syringe."

"Exactly," Alice approved. "So that's all I've got for you. I already told you about my take on the sedative. The rest of my findings match up with Dr. Banner's. You already have his report, right?"

"Yeah, we've got that," Jasper replied with a smile, probably to cut through the sudden tension between us. "Thanks for your efforts, baby."

She smiled at him. "Anytime." She turned her gaze back to me. "If you don't mind . . . keep me in the loop? I'd like to know what Isabella has to say about these papers."

I managed a nod. "Sure."

She threw Jasper a little kiss before leaving. He remained quiet, probably wary of me and my sudden change of track.

There was only one way to settle this, so I made a quick decision.

"You know what?" I grabbed an evidence bag off the table and put it in my pocket. "I'm going to go speak to her now."

"Now?" Jasper asked, his face registering surprise. "Do you want me to come along?"

"No, it's fine. I'll manage. If I need you, I'll call you. Until then, just . . . carry on what you were doing. You're right—no harm in rechecking the footage."

"You got it," he replied hesitantly.

"I'll be back soon."

Within minutes, I was rushing down the elevator and then to the parking lot, my mind running a hundred miles an hour after everything that had happened since morning, driving me mad with the unknown.

Only one thing was abundantly clear in all this.

Bella was hiding something.

And come hell or high water she was going to come out with it today.

* * *

 **A/N: Interesting, eh? ;) And before you start worrying . . . Don't. Defending Bella was a reflex, but he's not going to lose sight of his duty.**

 **Don't forget—Pics, teasers, and updates on FB—Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed (Follow the link on my profile)**

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 **FIC REC – Words Like Art by Itlerthqak – Every open door offers the chance of a great story. Ours started with a slip of pink paper...**


	14. Chapter 14 : Unmasking a Lie

**DISCLAIMER: You already know I don't own Twilight. The opinions of the characters do not necessarily reflect the author's personal views on any matter alluded to in the story.**

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 **A/N: Thanks to Ninkita and Pamela for their invaluable support.  
**

 **Let's just get to it, yeah?**

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 **CHAPTER 14**

 **UNMASKING A LIE  
**

I slammed my hand against the wheel as the car in front of me came to a halt. If the idiot in the white SUV had moved his ass two seconds sooner, I would've gotten past the intersection before the light turned red. The urge to curse at his face was strong, but I held myself back.

I knew my anger didn't stem from this stranger. He was just on the receiving end of it.

The person driving me crazy was in fact the one I was going to see now.

I suddenly realized that I hadn't even told her I was coming. I'd just started driving in the general direction of the café where I'd met her yesterday, because she'd mentioned it was close to her home.

 _Who knew if she was even there?_

I muttered under my breath, cursing my own stupidity while grabbing my phone. I punched in a quick text to Bella, asking where she was.

Her reply came through within a minute.

 _~ At home, why?_

I didn't bother replying. I chucked my phone on the passenger seat, and pressed down on the gas as soon as the light turned green.

As I neared my destination, the conversation with Angela, the crime scene photographs, and the papers with Charlie's name played on a loop over and over in my thoughts. They triggered a memory I hadn't allowed myself to recollect in the past six years.

 _I looked around the cafeteria in confusion. Bella had said I could pick her up here, but she was nowhere to be found. It wasn't like her to be late. Frowning, I looked at my watch and couldn't help but chuckle at myself._

 _There were still fifteen minutes to go until seven, which was the time we'd decided upon._

 _I wasn't even surprised anymore. This girl . . . there was something about her that'd pulled me in since the first time I'd seen her. Now here we were, four dates later, and I was just as, if not more, eager to spend time with her._

 _I leaned against the wall in the corner behind the door to wait for her. It gave me a good vantage point to observe whoever came in._

 _I pulled out my phone and managed to cross two levels of Subway Surfer before I heard Bella's voice. Looking up, I found her walking in with a guy I knew as one of her friends' husband. They walked past me without noticing my presence and sat at the corner table with their backs to me._

 _The guy . . . I knew his name . . . Dan . . . Ken . . ._

 _No, it was_ Ben _._

 _Ben's phone rang. I gathered that it was his wife on the other end, asking his whereabouts. He told her he was at the cafeteria with Bella and asked her to join them._

 _I started to walk toward them, but something in their conversation made me pause, curiosity flaring inside me._

" _You didn't forget the pictures, did you?" Bella was asking as I took a seat behind them._

 _I heard the crinkling of paper. "Of course not! Hiring the photographer and collecting the pictures was all I had to do, and may I say, I did a fan-fucking-tastic job," Ben announced._

" _I don't know how Angela deals with your giant head on a daily basis."_

 _I barely suppressed a snigger as Ben responded with, "Well, she's rather fond my giant head, if you know what I mean." I could almost picture him waggling his eyebrows._

" _Ew! Grow up, dude," Bella groaned, before her voice turned appreciative. "Hmm. These photos do look pretty amazing."_

" _Makes you think of your own big day, doesn't it?"_

" _It does not!"_

" _Sooo does," Ben sang. "I can see your blush, and it's telling me all I need to know. Trust me, ever since I proposed to Angie, it feels like I've entered into a life-long seminar on the female psyche. I swear, I saw thirty different shades of my fiancée in the past few months. I know how you gals think."_

" _You wish," Bella grumbled._

" _Don't lie to me, Swan. Angie was saying that this thing with Edward is going good. Don't try and tell me you don't spend hours thinking about what your centerpieces will look like or if you'll serve fish or chicken."_

" _I'm not thinking of that, Ben," Bella snapped. "It has been, what, four dates? Don't be crazy."_

" _Aww, maybe just a little bit? You could take inspiration from ours, you know, while it's all fresh in your mind," Ben persisted._

" _Shut up."_

" _Look at those pink cheeks!" He guffawed. "You're so imagining it!"_

" _Okay, enough! You wanna know? I'll tell you then. Take inspiration from your wedding? Please," she scoffed. "I don't want_ elegant pastels _." She stressed the words, and I imagined the air quotes she must be making. "My wedding will be a celebration. A splash of vibrant color everywhere! Maybe red . . . Blood red roses. And my dress . . . not strapless, for God's sake, or it's gonna slip right off. Nope, I'll go with thin straps. The cake . . . it'll be the most delicious Dutch truffle in the whole world, and Edward can lick it off my body for our wedding night!"_

 _My eyes nearly bugged out of my head, and I heard a loud, horrified gasp. I thought I'd messed up my cover, but when neither of them noticed me, I realized it'd actually been Bella who'd made the sound._

 _Meanwhile, Ben must've been on the verge of passing out due to lack of air if the laughter emanating from his belly was an indication._

" _So . . . you do . . . imagine . . . Edward there?" he managed to choke out between the paroxysms of his laughter._

" _Shut up!" Bela hissed, and mortification was evident even in her whisper. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! Edward will get here any moment now, okay? I don't need you spouting this crap in front of him. If he freaks out and breaks up with me beca—"_

 _I couldn't resist any longer, so I turned in my seat and stretched my neck to press my lips to her cheek._

 _Bella spun toward me with her mouth wide and gaping, and her eyebrows rising so far up her forehead it had to be painful. I pressed my lips together to suppress my laughter._

" _Come on, baby," I said, clearing my throat to hold back my chuckles as she continued to stare at me like I'd risen from the dead. "You were the one talking about weddings on our first date. I'm still here, aren't I? You really think the idea of licking cake off your body was gonna send me packing?"_

 _Her face grew so red, I almost wanted to splash some water on it before she combusted into flames right before my eyes. Ben was still cackling in the background, and I couldn't help but join in._

 _It took nearly twenty minutes for us to calm down enough to make our way out of there. Bella's cheeks remained suffused with color even after we left for our date, leaving an amused Ben to wait for his wife._

The tires screeched as I rushed into a parking spot before making my way up. The doorman was happy to let me in once I'd shown him by badge. There was a list of names of the owners next to the apartment numbers, carved into a wooden plank inside the building. I quickly found Bella's name and started to make my way up the stairs, too keyed up to wait for the elevator.

Bella looked anxious when she opened the door for me. "Hey." She tried to smile, but it fell flat when she saw my expression. "Is everything alright?"

I sidestepped her and walked inside before whirling on my feet to face her. "You tell me," I replied, blunt and direct. "Is everything alright with _you_ , Bella? Are you feeling fine?"

She frowned. "I-I'm okay," she replied.

"Really?" I shot back. "Because the Bella I knew never used to be _okay_ with lying."

Her eyes widened for just a second before she schooled her features into a mask of confusion.

But it was enough to confirm my suspicion—she hadn't given me the entire truth.

"Edward, I don't underst—"

"Please, save me the lies." I shook my head in frustration. "You know very well why I'm here. Tell me the truth, Bella. All of it."

She gulped, but otherwise held fast to her façade. "The truth about what?"

I stepped closer, pulling out the evidence bag from my pocket. "The truth about the papers you burnt right before the police arrived at Black Manor. The papers that contained Charlie's name and his office seal on them."

Her mouth fell open as she sucked in a sharp breath. But she didn't say a word.

"Alright, let's forget that," I offered. "Tell me about your wedding."

Her jaw clenched, and her eyes were wide and afraid as they held mine.

"A splash of color, preferably red roses, Dutch truffle cake, a thin-strapped dress," I said, enunciating each word slowly, watching them sink into her mind. "Where was all that, Bella? I saw the complete opposite at the _shindig_ at Black Manor." I held up a hand to my jaw, as if in contemplation. "Now, I know that people's tastes change. That's the simple explanation you might be tempted to give me. But I'm not going to buy it." I paused, cocking my head to one side. "You know why?"

I inched another step closer to her. "Because I ran into Angela today. Do you remember her?" She bit her lip, and I watched the panic escalate in her eyes. "She told me that nobody in your old friend circle knew about the wedding. On my way over, I was thinking about the guest list—as much of it as I could remember. Not a single name on there could be connected to you personally, as far as I know." I reached out to grasp her shoulders. "All of this leads me to a conclusion, and I think is exactly what you're trying to hide from me."

Her lips moved, finally a whisper escaping them. "Edward . . ."

"Tell me why you didn't have anything to do with your own wedding," I demanded. "Tell me why the decorations had no hint of your taste in them. Tell me why there was no one from your side in the guest list. Tell me, Bella! Why have you been lying? Did you kill Billy?"

"No!" she screamed, as tears spilled from her eyes. "I didn't hurt Billy! I could never even think of doing that, Edward!"

"I believe you," I assured her. "I do. But you've got to tell me what the hell is going on! I need to know everything if I'm going to help you."

She dropped her head into her hands as she started to weep in earnest. My chest tightened painfully at the sound of her sniffles, but I couldn't stop, not today.

I led her to the couch and sat next to her. Waiting for a moment, I allowed her to let it all out, only speaking when her tears had nearly ceased.

"Talk to me," I implored. "What haven't you told us?"

I watched her shoulders rise and fall as she drew in a deep breath. When she looked up, her eyes were red-rimmed, but clear, a sense of determination lingering in them.

"You're right," she whispered. "I had nothing to do with my own wedding preparations. Because . . ." She swallowed once. "Because I never wanted to marry Jacob."

Her admission lingered between us for a few seconds. The follow-up questions were on the tip of my tongue, but I held back, giving her the time she needed to collect herself. I couldn't deny the pang of relief her confession sent rushing through me, but ignored it nonetheless.

"Jacob needed me to marry him, so he . . ." She paused, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry. I need to go back a little to explain what comes next."

"I'm listening," I replied softly. "Take your time."

"A man didn't get to the stature where Billy was in his life without bending a few laws. My father had been friends with him since they were both teenagers. He never agreed with Billy's 'by hook or by crook' philosophy, but he protected him nonetheless." She grimaced. "Billy took advantage of that when Dad was the Senator, asking him to use his influence to get him out of trouble. Billy's wife had passed away soon after giving birth to Rebecca. Dad couldn't begin to think of what would happen to Jacob, Rachel, and Rebecca should they lose their father to the law, too. So he tried his best to clear Billy's messes, while simultaneously fulfilling his duty to the State." She paused for a second. "Dad never knew that Billy was a shrewd businessman through and through. Billy had kept a file of documents recording the ways Dad had . . . abused his power . . . as a safeguard. Should Dad ever refuse or double-cross him, he'd planned to hand it over to the media, taking everything Dad had worked so hard for down with him. But he never had any reason to use it, so the file remained in Billy's safe . . . until Jacob somehow came to know about it."

My mind was spinning as it all started to click into place.

"Jacob used that file to blackmail you," I gritted. "To get you to marry him, so that his father would get off his back."

"Yes," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Initially, Jacob just requested me to pretend to be his girlfriend and then marry him. He told me we'd get a divorce once Billy . . ." she trailed off. "I refused, over and over. Marriage . . . It has sanctity, meaning. I couldn't even think of going along with a farce like this, not to mention the added depravity of betraying a man who'd been like a father to me. But when Jacob told me about the existence of the file and how he wouldn't hesitate to go public with it, I couldn't . . ." She clutched her hand along the side of her neck. "I couldn't let my father's name be dragged through the mud like that. I just couldn't. He was a _good_ man, who only tried to keep three kids from losing their only parent. He diligently served the people of this State for over a decade, but I knew that if Jacob made good on his threat, the world would only remember my father for his lies. All the goodwill he had earned in his lifetime would be gone."

"Why only you?" I asked desperately. "He could've married any woman willing to bend over backwards simply for his money. Why did he choose to torment you, his own damn friend?"

Bella lifted her eyes to mine, and they spoke of immeasurable grief and defeat.

"Because I was the only one he could trust," she replied quietly. "I was the only woman who knew the truth about him."

"What truth?"

She pulled her legs up onto the couch and hugged them close to her chest. Her lips parted, and the answer tumbled out in a quiet murmur.

"Jacob is gay, Edward."

The world slipped away as the words settled between us. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to shake her and tell her to stop kidding around.

But I couldn't.

Because there was no hint of humor or deception in the planes of her tear-stained face.

I knew this was the truth.

"What even . . . Why would . . . What . . ." I spluttered, unable to find the right response.

"Billy was old-fashioned, set in his ways," she explained quietly. "He had always been a vocal homophobe. Not in public, of course, but anyone who knew him well would know this. So did Jacob. He'd watched his father abandon a daughter for not falling in line with his thinking, and he never forgave her. Jacob knew that's exactly what would happen to him if Billy ever came to know of the truth."

"So _this_ was his solution?" I asked, a part of me still in disbelief about this ludicrous situation. "Force you to marry him to prove to his father that he isn't gay?"

"He tried to keep Billy off his trail for all these years by pretending to be a womanizer, taking different women to different parties." Her lips curled in revulsion. "They didn't care to ask questions either . . . just happy to be the arm candy of the heir to the Black empire. Things were going fine for Jacob until Billy got his prognosis. Once he realized he didn't have long to live, he started pressuring Jacob to find a life-partner. Jacob tried to stall as much as possible, but he knew that if Billy started digging into his life—phone records and such—he'd have the truth in no time. And if that happened . . . Jacob would be cut off from all that wealth forever."

"Money," I spat, horrified and disgusted. "He did all this for money."

"Primarily," Bella admitted. "But he did love his father. The idea of having a fake ceremony . . . Jacob hated it. There was no way he'd deny his dying father's request, though."

"A man like this loves no one but himself. That miserable son of a bitch!" I fumed, rising to my feet, the fire burning inside me making it impossible for me to sit still. "Isn't there someone in his life who could've stopped him? A man, I mean."

Bella sighed, pressing her fingers to her temples. "There is. And you've met him."

I frowned, puzzled, and she waited silently. I thought back to the people who I'd come across from the inception of this case, trying to piece it together, until the answer suddenly hit me with astonishing clarity.

"Embry Call," I breathed.

"Embry Call," Bella confirmed. "He has been out of town for over a month, though, like I said to you earlier. He didn't know about the wedding until he returned the day after the . . . murder. He came over to the house, furious at Jacob and me."

I shot her an incredulous look. "Why at you?"

"Because he didn't know that Jacob had forced me into this," she whispered, wiping away a tear. "He believed I was helping Jacob hide his true self from the world because he was ashamed. Embry took it as an insult to himself, to his identity, his beliefs, and he went berserk. He practically broke up with Jacob last night."

"Any self-respecting individual would do just that," I muttered. "A man like Jacob doesn't deserve anyone's love or trust. I can't believe you stayed by his side at all after the murder."

Her lip quivered. "I know what it's like to lose a father. Despite what he'd become, he was a very good friend to me when I needed him. He helped me put myself back together after I lost my dad. I couldn't . . . I'll never, ever forgive him for what he did to me, but I couldn't live with myself if I left him alone in the middle of all that."

I could only stare, her quiet strength leaving me mesmerized.

"You never cease to amaze me," I whispered, leaning forward to cup her cheek. "But what he did to you was _wrong_. I'll always be sorry that I wasn't there to help you . . . to protect you from him."

She shook her head and placed her hand on mine. "No," she rasped fervently as more tears welled up in her eyes. "No, Edward. I should've come to you. I wanted to . . . believe me, there were so many days I'd pull your number up in my contacts and just look at it . . . wishing I had the courage to call you. But I never did." Her voice broke. "I was so afraid you hated me after what I'd done. I didn't want to see it in your eyes . . . to hear it in your voice . . . if you told me to just go to hell."

The utter despair in her voice slayed me. I pressed my forehead to hers, and her eyes closed.

"I could _never_ hate you," I whispered roughly. "Never, Bella."

Her body shook against me, thick sobs ripping through her chest. I pulled her into my arms and held her close. I pressed my face into her hair, the familiar scent of her bridging the past and the present. If only I could let everything go for one moment, and hold her there forever . . . as though she were mine, as though we had never parted.

But she wasn't.

And life _had_ pulled us apart.

"I wish you'd told me," I murmured. "If not back then, you could've told me everything when we interrogated you. That night when you came to my place . . . why didn't you say anything? Why were you still protecting Jacob?"

She pulled back to meet my eyes. "I wasn't protecting him," she asserted. "I didn't realize Billy's death would've had anything to do with all of this! I _didn't_ kill Billy. Jacob had no reason to harm him, either, especially when he had gone to such lengths to make sure Billy would see him get married. No one except the two of us knew about the . . . arrangement."

"Then why did you burn those papers?" I questioned.

"Jacob was hysterical after he discovered what'd happened to his father. He came into my room, and threw the file at me, telling me to take it and do what I wished, because nothing mattered anymore." She shivered, and I got the feeling that his behavior had scared her more than she was admitting. "I just . . . I just wanted to destroy it forever. The thing that'd threatened to ruin my life, my father's reputation, the thing that Jacob had used to torture me for months . . . I just wanted to watch it turn to ash forever."

"Damn it, Bella!" I muttered, unable to mask my frustration. "You shouldn't have done that. You should've come clean with everything right away."

"Why?" she cried. "What's done is done. What does it matter now?"

I disentangled myself from her arms and rose to my feet, taking a couple of steps away from her. A lump lodged in my throat at the sight of her hunched frame . . . small, vulnerable, afraid. I swallowed thickly, before saying the words that burned like acid on my tongue, but bore the truth she needed to know.

"Because it makes you a suspect, Bella."

* * *

 **A/N: This isn't the worst cliffie I've managed to create in this story, but it certainly is my favorite one so far. The last line almost makes me shiver. (Is it really conceited of me to say that? :/)**

 **I know some of you must've had 'I KNEW IT!' moments, and I hope you enjoyed them ;) And to those who were surprised, well, I'm glad to be of service. More answers and surprises will follow in the upcoming chapters. We've got a murder to solve, folks.**

 **I'll see you guys in a week.**

* * *

 **For pics, teasers, and updates, come join us on FB at 'Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed' (Link is on my profile)**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Lonely Doctor by indytiff – Bella and Edward have a history - one Bella wishes to forget. Edward re-enters her life but isn't the same Edward. Will she be able to keep their relationship professional? All human. Cannon couples.**


	15. Chapter 15 : Inching Closer

**A/N: Huge thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for everything they do.** **I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries, but can I ask that you send some positive vibes their way? They're both dealing with a few issues in RL, and I wish I could give them tight hugs as they get through it. But with the distance that separates us, a virtual one will have to suffice.**

* * *

 **DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight.  
My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

* * *

 **CHAPTER 15**

 **INCHING CLOSER**

Bella's face paled. "What?" she gasped. _"Why?"_

"Because you benefited from Billy's death," I answered bluntly. "You don't have to marry Jacob against your will anymore."

"Edward, Billy was the only connection to my father I had left in this world. I couldn't ever dream of causing him harm, let alone . . ." Her hands shook, and she interlocked her fingers. "Jacob may have caused me a hell lot of grief, but Billy was always good to me. He never intended to use that file . . . it was just his nature that made him preserve those papers. I don't hold him responsible for what Jacob did to me."

"Then why didn't you go straight to Billy?" I challenged. "When Jacob was threatening you, you could've exposed his real face in front of his father."

"I just . . . Billy went into depression for a couple of weeks after we received the doctor's opinion on his life expectancy. He wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep . . . we were so worried. But when Jacob told him of our . . . marriage, it was as if he gave Billy a new breath of life. I couldn't bear to take that away when he had so little time left," she explained quietly. Her gaze snapped up to meet mine, hurt evident in their depths. "Why are you saying these things to me anyway? You said you believed me."

"I do, Bella," I asserted. "But I'm not the only one investigating this case. Once I tell my team and my superiors about this, they'll be asking the same questions I'm asking you now. The difference is, they won't believe your answers unequivocally."

Her eyes were wide and fearful. "You'll tell your . . . partner everything?"

"Yes," I sighed. "I can't hide this from them. I can assure you of our discretion; nothing will go out to the media. But I won't hide facts pertinent to the case from my colleagues. Plus, there's no other way to explain those burnt documents."

"Do you really think . . ." She hesitated. "Jacob and I . . . the lie we . . . do you think that was what led to . . ."

"At the moment, I don't see how. But trust me, we've looked into every possible aspect of Billy's life, and we can't find anything else that could've led to this. We have to follow the evidence trail, wherever it goes."

She nodded weakly. "So what do I do now?"

I dropped to my knees before her. "Come to the Bureau and make a statement about everything you've told me."

She started to shake her head, but I grabbed her hands. "Bella," I said slowly. "This is a murder investigation. You hide something from us, that's obstruction of justice. I don't have to explain to you how serious that is." I squeezed her hands. "Please, trust me. I _will_ find out who did this. If you didn't do this, we're not going to find enough proof to charge you with. In that case, if you come in and reveal these facts yourself, it just . . . looks better. The more you hide it, the guiltier it makes you appear."

"Are you sure there's no other way?" she whispered. "I'm scared, Edward."

"I'm sure. I know you're scared." I reached out to cradle her cheek in my palm. "You didn't give me the chance to help you back then, but you don't have to fight alone this time, okay? Trust me, come clean, and help us find the real culprit here."

She looked at me for a long moment, a dozen emotions swimming in her eyes. I held her gaze, trying to look confident enough to assure her that this was the right thing to do.

Finally, she nodded. "Okay. Can I have a few minutes to freshen up?"

I smiled. "Of course," I said, and then hesitated. "Can I trust _you?"_

"Yes," she murmured.

"Then I'll leave right now and go explain things to my team first. You can come over as soon as you're ready." I paused as another thought entered my mind. "In fact, you should get yourself a lawyer. Once who is not, in any way, associated with the Black family. Can you do that?"

She nodded again. "I know someone. One of my associates at work . . . his wife is a lawyer."

"Excellent," I remarked. "Call her, tell her everything, and then come over to the Bureau as soon as possible."

"I will."

Before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in and pressed my lips to her forehead. I lingered there for just a moment before pulling away.

Bella gaped at me, almost in . . . wonder?

"I'll wait for you there," I told her before taking my leave.

Bella's words and her face invaded my thoughts constantly as I drove. The things she'd told me played over and over in my mind, and it was in that befuddled state that I somehow managed to navigate the roads back to the Bureau and climb up the elevator. I was functioning on auto-pilot as I made my way to my desk.

Which was why seeing Tanya sitting there shocked the hell out of me.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I blurted out without thinking.

My outburst startled Tanya as well as a couple of other people nearby. Frustrated with myself, I scrubbed a palm over my face to regain my bearings. "Sorry, Tan. But seriously, what are you doing here? Are you okay?"

She stood slowly, regarding me with caution. "I'm fine. You've been gone for almost four hours, Edward. I felt better once I woke up, so I called Jasper just to check in, and he told me what was going on. You weren't answering your phone either, so we were worried."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I've just . . . It has been a crazy morning, and a fucked-up afternoon."

"Jasper was about to inform McCarty, but when I realized you'd gone to see Bella, I stopped him," she murmured in a low voice.

"I appreciate that."

"But clearly, something has happened," she deduced. "You look . . . exhausted."

I blew out a gush of air. "Jeez, Tanya . . . the things I've found out . . ."

Her eyes widened. "Bella was hiding something?"

"Call Jasper and Alice, too, if she's in the building," I said in lieu of a reply. "I don't have the energy to do this twice."

She winced. "That bad, huh?"

"Not bad, per se." I shrugged. "Not good, either. Just . . . just get them here, and I'll explain."

Tanya nodded and pulled her phone out of her pocket, while I headed toward the private room. It served various purposes, depending on the need—meetings, impromptu birthday parties, farewell parties, etc. But the most important aspect of this room was the one I needed—privacy. A lock on the door and the lack of a CCTV would ensure that whatever I said would remain between those of us present here.

Hardly a few minutes passed before the door opened and my audience walked in. Jasper looked relieved to see me, Alice appeared curious, and Tanya . . . she appeared to be as nervous as I felt. Given that she knew whatever I had to say most certainly involved Bella, I knew that her anxiety was more for me.

They sat on the chairs surrounding the table, but I remained standing.

"There's a lot of new information I've come to know just now, and that's what I'm going to share with you. It's . . ." I tiled my head, looking for the right word. "It's one hell of a story . . . interesting, to say the least. But let me get it all out okay? Just allow me to finish before you ask questions, which I'm sure you'll have."

One by one, they nodded their understanding.

There was no appropriate segue to launch into this sordid tale, so I just started talking. I laid out everything I'd heard from Bella to the best of my ability. Their expressions varied with different parts of the story—shock, disgust, sympathy being some that I could identify.

I didn't leave anything out . . . except my history with Bella.

It wasn't that I didn't trust Alice and Jasper. But I just didn't see the need to broadcast that little tidbit right now. Tanya knew . . . she'd watch me. It was enough.

Once I finished, the room was shrouded in silence.

"That's it," I said, spreading my arms wide. "I'm done talking."

It would've been comical the way they started talking over each other, asking questions that popped into their heads, but I was too exhausted to laugh. Instead, I just started answering their questions—some similar to the ones I'd asked Bella and other, new ones. There were a few I didn't know the answers to myself, and thus came the time to drop another bomb on them.

"You can ask the remaining questions to Isabella herself," I announced. "She'll be coming here anytime now to give her statement."

Another moment of silence.

More talking over each other.

I could feel a headache coming on, so I finally took a seat and rubbed at my temples.

"I can't believe you didn't bring her in yourself, Boss," Jasper remarked.

"She's not going to run away," I replied without bothering to look up. "I spoke to her. I know I convinced her to come."

"Alright then," Alice chirped and stood. "Thank you for keeping me apprised, Edward. That was . . . definitely interesting. I'll let you guys get on with work."

She left, and after a minute, Jasper started to follow.

"Jasper," Tanya called, and he turned back. "Check out this Embry Call. Confirm his alibi with the airlines. Get CCTV footage from the airport, if anything seems suspicious. No matter what Isabella says, if Embry happened to know of Jacob's plan, and he's got a mean temper, he's got means, motive, and opportunity. He could've easily gotten the details about getting into the house from Jacob without raising his suspicions."

Jasper nodded. "Possible. I'll let you know if anything pops." With that, he left the room.

Tanya stayed behind, regarding me carefully.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

I sighed heavily before looking at her. "I don't know, Tan. It's . . . a lot to take in."

"She was never in love with him."

"Don't, okay?" I pled. "Not right now. I can't deal with that just yet."

She held up her hands in surrender. "Okay," she allowed. "Different question, then. Is she innocent?"

"Yes," I replied with no hint of doubt in my voice. "I know you don't know her or trust her, and I'm _not_ being biased. I did observe her closely earlier today when I asked her the same question. I believe that she was telling the truth."

"Fine."

My eyebrows rose. "That's it?"

Tanya leaned forward, folding her arms on the table between us. "You're right. I don't know her. But I do know _you_. I can tell when you're sure of something, and when you're just trying to pretend you are. If you're sure about this, I'll believe you. Even though Bella had been keeping some secrets, we don't have anything connecting her to the crime scene. Right now, she's the strongest candidate we have, but the case against her is far too weak to do anything about it. So, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt . . . for now. If we find something conclusive, you bet your ass I'll be handcuffing that woman."

I gave her a small smile. "I know."

"Embry looks good for it," she offered. "The alibi, too . . . returning a day later. It's perfect. Almost too perfect."

"I guess he's our best bet for now. Hopefully, we'll catch a break."

There was a knock on the door just before Jasper snuck his head in. "Just wanted to let you know that the eagle has landed!"

Tanya and I exchanged a perplexed glance.

"Isabella Swan is here," he clarified with a sigh.

"We'll be right there," Tanya told him and then turned to me. "Let me handle this," she suggested.

I had to admit . . . it worried me, and it must've showed on my face. "Are you sure?"

She laid a hand on my arm. "Yes. I'll take care of her, Edward. Trust me. You've had enough for the day."

I took a moment to consider it, and Tanya waited patiently. On one hand, I wanted to make sure Bella would be okay. But it would be better to have her official statement taken by someone else, should we run into some problems later.

And there was no one I could trust more than my partner.

"Okay," I said hesitantly. "Just . . . you know . . . please . . ."

I struggled to find the right words, but Tanya understood anyway. She nodded reassuringly before we both headed out.

My eyes landed on Bella before sliding over to the tall, blonde woman standing next to her. She wore a dark pant suit that exuded command. Her eyes were sharp as they scanned the room, and I surmised that Bella had chosen an appropriate lawyer, after all.

Tanya crossed the room to where they were standing, while I stayed where I was. My gaze shifted back to Bella, who was fidgeting nervously as she looked around herself. Tanya shook hands with the lawyer, and it was just then that Bella zeroed in on me.

Even from the distance, I could see her body heaving with quick, anxious breaths. I held her gaze, letting the world fall away while I only saw her. With slow, exaggerated movements, I nodded once, silently telling her that it was going to be okay.

The hunched set of her shoulders loosened, and I smiled. Her lips curled up, too, and her death grip on the strap of her purse loosened.

Her lawyer demanded her attention, so she looked away. Tanya started to lead them toward the interrogation room. I kept my eyes on Bella until the door shut behind them, and then released a huge breath.

 _Tanya would take care of her_ , I reminded myself.

In need of a distraction, I headed back to our desks, and came across Jasper's corkboard again. I reclaimed my position from earlier this morning to observe the pictures, starting with the one of the Black family . . . the one I'd been looking at before Alice had arrived.

This time, though, I saw it through new eyes, guided by my newfound knowledge.

I looked at Billy Black and saw a man who was so jaded that he didn't even trust his best friend . . . so rigid that his son went to such extreme lengths to stay in his good books.

I looked at Jacob's face, and deep within me, rose the urge to slap that smirk right off his mouth. The bastard had taken advantage of Bella's vulnerability. He knew her well, knew of her love for her father, and he had abused that knowledge thoroughly.

Before I drove my fist through a wall, I moved on to Rachel. She seemed gentle and poised, but she had also made poor choices in her life. Yet somehow, Billy had managed to forgive her. Maybe Seth had played an important role in that decision.

I looked at the little boy Bella loved so much, and this time, I could imagine why.

No doubt, she must've had to spend quite some time at Black Manor while keeping up the pretense of a relationship with Jacob. In the midst of all the lies and despair, she must've found her solace in Seth's innocence. The bond between them was clear even to me, though I'd only seen them interact once.

I recalled her remark about how Seth had seen more hardships in his short life than any kid deserved. I truly hoped it didn't leave a mark on him. Children were resilient, though, weren't they? He would put it all behind him. His serious, probing eyes flashed in my memories, and I wondered if it'd already taken a toll on him.

In the photograph before me, he was grinning from ear to ear.

I couldn't help but smile myself, thinking that this was the expression that fit perfectly on his cherubic little face.

Something nagged at the back of my mind as I stared . . . a face and an associated memory.

I stepped closer, leaning in to look at Seth's face even more carefully, trying to trigger my mind to create a clearer picture. It eluded me for another moment, but then suddenly . . . it was there.

An idea started to take root in my head . . . absurd in its origin, but my gut told me it was worth a consideration.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to find Jasper returning with a steaming mug in his hand.

"Jasper, I need you to find something." Even I could hear the sudden excitement in my voice.

He set it down on his table before settling in front of his computer. "Sure, Boss. What's up?"

"Look into Narcotics' database and get me more pictures of Paul Lahote. Talk to someone from the department for whatever help you need. In fact, if they happen to have a video, maybe from the time they were doing surveillance on him, that'd be even better."

Jasper's fingers started flying on the keyboard. "Will do. Anything else?"

"Yes."

I walked over to my desk and returned with one of the case files. I placed it next to Jasper's hand and started turning the pages.

When I found the name I was looking for, I pointed it out to him.

"I need this man's cell phone number."

* * *

 **A/N: Hmm. Might not be as absurd as you think, Edward. ;)**

 **Pics, updates, and mid-week teasers can be found in my FB group –** Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed **. Click on the link on my profile, and come join us!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Come as You Are by tiffanyanne3 –** "It's just a piece of plain notebook paper, college ruled, folded into a neat square, but it's so much more than that. You're right. I was oblivious to your existence. But then you sent me this letter." It's 1996 in Seattle, and Edward cares about blending in, not fitting in. Until Bella takes the time to really see him. BxE, all-human.


	16. Chapter 16 : Piecing the Puzzle

**DISCLAIMER –** You already know I don't own Twilight.  
My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

* * *

 **A/N: Posting a day earlier than planned because I've been feeling pretty 'meh' over the last few days. I'm hoping that sharing this with you will restore my faith in myself. Let's see how it goes.**

 **This has been my favorite chapter to write. I truly hope it keeps you on the edge of your seats.**

 **Thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for making sure this story stays on track.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 16**

 **PIECING THE PUZZLE**

"I can't believe it," Jasper was muttering, as I returned from the pantry.

"How long have you been on the force, again?" Tanya teased, making him grimace. "Anything is possible, Whitlock. The world is a scary place."

I smirked, handing Tanya her cup of tea. "Feeling better?" I asked her.

"Much," she replied and took a generous sip, humming in satisfaction. "I've had worse attacks. This one just caught me unaware."

"He had an alibi!" Jasper threw out, still hung up on his disbelief. "I checked it out myself. He was not at the Manor that day."

"That doesn't mean he didn't do it," I supplied. "Just that he found another way."

Jasper's frown deepened. "What do you mean?"

Tanya snickered before tipping her cup to finish her tea. She walked over to Jasper's desk and patted his shoulder. "You'll come to know soon. Until then, keep digging. We know he changed his name, but we need the real one. You put that into the database, and we might get more dirt on him. We'll need that to bring him in."

I pushed myself off my chair and grabbed my jacket. "Look into his alibi again, Jasper. Get Biers to help you if you need someone to go out in the field."

"I'll do that, but I did check it thoroughly last time," he insisted. "It was solid. I'm sure of it."

Tanya ruffled his hair. "Rookies," she joked, shaking her head.

Jasper scowled in protest. "This _rookie_ is the one who'll bring you the lying bastard's real name. Give me ten more minutes, and I'll have everything we need to get him here and make him confess."

"Take an hour," I offered instead. "We're going down to the Black Manor again. Keep us posted."

"Wait, why the house?"

I lifted my shoulders in a shrug. "To lay the groundwork."

That was all we said before taking our leave, ignoring Jasper as he mumbled under his breath behind our backs.

"Messing with him never gets old," Tanya said, giggling as we made our way toward the car.

"Did you speak to McCarty?" I asked her, changing the subject, reminding her of the gravity of what lay ahead of us.

Tanya rolled her eyes. "Yes, Buzzkill. He has asked to be kept in the loop, but otherwise, we've got the go-ahead. He was a little hesitant, but as long as you're involved, he was bound to agree."

"That's not true."

"Please," she scoffed. "He trusts your instincts more than anything."

I shot her a smug look. "I did get us the break, didn't I? I caught something you missed."

"Whatever," she huffed. "All we know for sure is that he lied to us. If Jasper is right and the alibi was solid, either he didn't do this or—"

"Or someone else was involved," I continued. "Someone who _was_ there that day. Someone who we might've ignored because we couldn't find a connection, but maybe we can find it now. We just have to bide our time until Jasper finds the real name."

"And once we have that, we corner the accomplice . . . the pawn, until he gives up the king."

"Exactly."

Fortunately, traffic was light, so we reached our destination in just under thirty minutes. I pulled into a parking spot, before we made our way inside.

The same maid from last night opened the door when we knocked. This time, though, Jacob appeared behind her, and his eyes hardened when they fell on us.

The sight of him chased my good humor away, and anger spread like wildfire through my veins. Bella's tear-stained face danced in my thoughts, the helplessness and guilt morphing into an inferno I wasn't sure I would be able to contain.

"Lauren, leave us alone," he ordered, prompting the maid to scamper away.

He gestured for us to enter, so we followed him to the living room. My hand clenched into a fist, everything he had done to Bella slamming into my mind, and the desire to punch him flaring stronger.

The words that spewed out of his mouth did nothing to soothe those flames.

He pushed his hands inside his pockets, peering at us with contempt as he said, "What is it? Have you made any progress with the investigation, or are you just wasting honest taxpayers' money?"

"We've found a lead, and we needed to speak to you regarding that," Tanya explained.

"Of course." Jacob's voice dripped with sarcasm. "You think all the answers are here, don't you?" He rolled his eyes, like sparing a moment of his time to help us find his father's killer was such a tedious task.

That was all I could take.

Something inside me snapped, and I charged toward him. I vaguely registered Tanya's gasp behind me, but I ignored her.

Jacob's eyes widened in fear as I came to a stop only when we were toe-to-toe. He took a shaky step back, his bravado gone in wake of the rage that had to be evident on my face. My nails dug into my palms, and I welcomed the pain. It distracted me from the urge to pull my hand back and sock his jaw until I felt the bones crack under the force. Mustering all my self-control, I reined myself in, putting all that aggression into my words instead of my fists.

"You are the one who forced Bella into this mess in the first place," I gritted through clenched teeth, and shock flashed in his dark eyes. "You're the only person who could've seen someone go into the study and kill your father. The least you can do for both of them is to spend a minute and tell us everything we want to know, you miserable son of a bitch. Or else, I'll have your ass thrown into prison for blackmail before you can even _think_ of calling your lawyer."

He was frozen in place, looking at me with nothing but horror in his eyes, all the arrogance washing away when he realized I knew everything. My breaths came hard and heavy as I stared back, willing him to say another word out of line . . . or better yet, retaliate physically and grant me with the excuse I needed to give him what he deserved.

He did neither.

His gaze swung over my shoulder, probably looking for Tanya. I heard no movement from her, nothing to indicate that she would step in to save the bastard crumbling to pieces under my withering glare.

Like any other bully, he was a coward underneath the swagger.

He gulped, turning his attention back to me.

"I-I saw nothing," he stammered. "I already told you everything I knew! I was in the room, getting dressed. Rachel came in for a moment to check on me, and then she went downstairs. I had half a glass of wine to calm myself down, especially after Seth made all that fuss. That was one hell o—"

"Stop," I interrupted immediately. "What did you just say? Seth made a fuss?"

"Yeah. He was looking for his bear and kept telling me to bring it back. I didn't know where the hell it was!"

I stepped back before I really did slap him. "And you didn't think to mention this before?" I snapped. "Even when we asked you over and over."

Tanya walked over to us, and Jacob's eyes shifted between us desperately.

"What is there to say?" he nearly yelled. "I looked around and found it next to my bed. He must've dropped it when he came in, but we got it back, and then he left to go find his mom. End of story. I didn't leave the room, just like I told you."

I turned away from him and blew out a huge breath, willing my fury to simmer down.

Jacob Black was an idiot, and I could do nothing about it. He had sat on this vital piece of information for days, but it was out now.

 _Better late than never, right?_

I gripped my hair, frustrated at my inability to convince even myself.

My phone rang, and I welcomed the distraction. When I saw that it was Jasper, I rushed to accept the call.

"What did you find?"

It took me a moment to really focus and listen to the information he'd found. What he said was the only thing that could've chased my annoyance away, replacing it with a sense of satisfaction that only arose when the pieces of a puzzle started to fall into their rightful places.

"Are you sure?" I confirmed one last time.

"Positive," Jasper replied. "I've got the birth certificate right here. We've got the connection."

I was about to respond, but paused for a beat as an idea began to take shape in my mind.

It was risky . . . but if it worked, we would have the killer in our custody before dawn.

"You and Biers go pick him up," I ordered.

"Really?" Jasper's voice shot up at the idea of going into the field for such a huge task for the first time.

"You told me you'd get me the name. You did it. It's your find. Those outstanding charges should be good enough to hold him for the night, and that's all we'll need."

"You mean you figured out how he did it without even being there? I rechecked the alibi, Boss. CCTV footage puts him exactly where he said he was."

"Just bring him in now," I insisted. "Oh, and let him make a phone call if he asks. You'll have your answers before tomorrow morning."

I ended the call before he could sputter out a response and turned back to Tanya and Jacob. Rachel and Rebecca were walking down the stairs, probably trying to figure out what all the ruckus was about.

"We've got our man," I told them without any preamble.

Four pairs of eyes gaped at me in shock.

"You- wh-what?" Jacob stuttered.

Tanya was silent, but if looks could kill, I would've dropped dead right there. I shot her a quick nod, letting her know that I would clue her in later.

But if we wanted to catch the killer red-handed, we had no time to waste.

"Sam Uley," I announced. "Our officers are bringing him in now. He isn't quite who he appears to be."

"What do you mean, Agent Cullen?" Rachel asked with a concerned frown. "He has been working for us for several years."

"Which is why your father had faith in him," I told her. "Mr. Black trusted him enough to tell him about some recent changes he was going to make in his will . . . something he hadn't even shared with either of you."

"What changes?" Jacob asked, before turning to his sisters. "Did you know about this?"

"Of course not," Rachel said, while Rebecca lashed out with, "I wasn't even here. How would I know?"

I held up my hand to stop their bickering.

"Like I said," I redirected. "We're aware that no one but Sam knew of these changes. He hid it from us, which leads us to believe that this is the elusive motive we were looking for. Mr. Black's new will would've been detrimental to someone, so they killed him before he could sign the papers."

"I think that's a little far-fetched," Rebecca scoffed.

"It's the most plausible theory we've got," Tanya chimed in to keep up the charade, but not before shooting me another glare. "Why else would he hide the facts about the new will when we spoke to him earlier?"

"What are these changes anyway?" Jacob asked. "Did he write them down somewhere?"

"We need your help with that," I replied. "We've already searched through the house, and it's not here. Is there any other place where your father could have stored a document safely without anyone's knowledge?" I waited, but they just stared at me in confusion, so I elaborated. "We're going to talk to Sam and try to get him to confess, but having some documental proof in our hands would really tip the scales in our favor. He's a lawyer, after all. We'll need to use every trick in the book to tackle him. We have reliable information that Mr. Black did make a rough, handwritten copy to give to Sam. We need to find it."

"Reliable information," Jacob repeated uncertainly. "And who has been feeding you this information?"

"That's none of your concern at the moment, Sir," Tanya replied with a bite in her voice. "We're wasting valuable time here. Please answer the question."

I observed the three siblings before me. Jacob looked like a useless bundle of nerves, while his sisters whispered among themselves, trying to help us puzzle this out. A moment later, they turned to us.

"Dad hadn't been going to the office for the last few months, so I don't think it could be there," Rachel said. "But there's a Veteran's Club nearby he used to visit. As far as I know, he hadn't been there in the past two weeks, but . . . maybe you could find something there." She looked up at Jacob. "Dad had a locker or something there, right? But I have no idea where he kept the key. What do you think?"

He shrugged. "Could be. It's a very private club, though . . . high-end, you know. You can't just barge in there, guns blazing, based on a hunch. Even family is not allowed inside . . . just the veterans."

I barely suppressed my smile.

 _Perfect._

Out loud, I said, "That's fine. We'll go there with a warrant first thing tomorrow morning."

Rachel frowned. "Tomorrow morning? But you said we couldn't waste any time!"

"Sam should be in our custody by now, ma'am," I assured her. "He won't have a chance to get there before us. We'll work on getting a confession by our means tonight, but if he doesn't talk, we can always negotiate once we have that will. No need to bother the judge at such a late hour when things are under control." I shot a meaningful look at Tanya before turning back to the Blacks. "Thank you for your time. We'll be in touch tomorrow morning."

Tanya followed me out, waiting until we reached the car to explode.

"What the ever loving fuck was that?" she fumed. "What did Jasper say about the will? And what the hell does it have to do with the club? And why didn't you tell me you were planning on doing this?"

"Because I hadn't planned on it," I explained simply. "Not until Jacob told us about Seth, and Jasper called to tell me what he found. Then it all clicked in my head, and I just went with the flow."

"You went with the flow. Great," she deadpanned. "Care to share with the rest of the class?"

I grinned at her. "Absolutely. Just punch in an address in the GPS first, will you?"

She heaved a sigh that told me I was on thin ice, but did as I asked. "Where to?"

"Billy's favorite Veteran's Club, of course."

It took us over an hour to arrange everything, including several calls to McCarty, who communicated with powers higher up, probably cashing in some favors. Only then did we gain entry into the club.

Clearly, Jacob hadn't been exaggerating, but he then he hadn't met our boss.

If he had, he would've known.

 _You simply didn't say no to Assistant Director Emmett McCarty._

Tanya was silent beside me, her qualms vanishing when I'd explained my theory.

The manager was a pesky little fellow, but he led us to the locker room. He gave us Billy's locker number and grudgingly agreed to keep our presence here a secret.

As soon as he was gone, I turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness. Tanya and I crouched down in a corner behind a set of lockers, making sure that Billy's was right in our line of vision.

"Are you sure this will work?" she whispered.

"Sam didn't come to the house, so obviously, he had an accomplice inside. Or maybe he was the accomplice. Either way, this documental evidence throws a kink in their plans. With one of them in our custody, the killer has no choice but to show up and destroy the will before we come to grab it tomorrow."

"Sneaky," she approved, and I shushed her.

I don't know how much time passed, but it must've been at least an hour, judging by the pins and needles sensation that crept up my toes and spread along my feet as I struggled to stay hidden. Beside me, Tanya fidgeted, probably experiencing the same.

For a second, I wondered if we could take turns and stretch out our legs. But then, I heard a click that made me freeze. I poked Tanya and pointed to my ear, asking her to listen. I felt rather than saw her head move as she nodded to confirm that she'd heard it, too.

The door to the locker room crept open, and soft footsteps padded along the carpeted floor.

I craned my neck, peeking out to see a shadowed figure making its way inside. I quickly retreated before they could see me.

The illumination from a cell phone screen shone out as the intruder made their way toward the lockers. I followed the light as they shone it over the various numbers until they found the one allotted to Billy.

The sound of a key turning in the lock was our cue to move. Without a sound, I rose to my feet, and Tanya followed, raising her hand up to the switchboard above.

I stepped forward until I was behind the intruder, who was now growing agitated as the metal door swung open to reveal an empty locker. They shoved both arms inside, trying to find what was never in the stupid locker.

I pulled my gun out, and then gave Tanya a nudge. As discussed, she flicked the lights on, and a sharp gasp in a familiar voice pierced the silence.

"Empty, isn't it?" I asked the person standing before me in a pair of black jeans, topped with a black hoodie. I cocked my gun, taking aim before saying, "Put your hands above your head and turn around."

Beside me, Tanya too grabbed her gun while the person before us hesitated to comply.

"Now," I ordered.

I watched intently as both hands came up to interlock over the back of the hooded head.

A couple of beats passed, tension escalating as the figure slowly started to move. I held my breath until they'd turned around completely.

I registered Tanya's jerk when she realized who stood before us. A slow smile spread over my face as I found myself gazing into the exact face I'd been expecting.

"Thank you for joining us . . . _Rachel_."

* * *

 **A/N: Dun, dun, dun . . .**

 **I know there are still several unanswered questions. We'll tackle them next time, hearing straight from the mouth of the killer!**

 **And yes, I stole a line from BD. Couldn't help it, given that it fit perfectly and was the first thing to pop into my head while writing ;) 'Unapologetically Obsessive Twihard' here! If you recognized the quote, I'll happily share the title with you.**

 **For pics and teasers – FB group – Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed (Link is on my profile)**

 **See you next week!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Online Offline by lgmrkm -** Bella is being forced into a future she doesn't want. Her only true friend and confidante is a boy online, whose name she doesn't even know. When she moves from San Francisco to Forks, her online and offline worlds collide.


	17. Chapter 17 : Seeking Answers

**A/N: Hello there! Ready to get some answers?**

 **Thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for their help.**

 **This time, I have a special note of thanks to MarieCarro for sharing her skills and creating a manip of the culprit just the way I've described her. You can find the picture in my FB group.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 17**

 **SEEKING ANSWERS**

Bella's eyes filled with tears as she placed her hand over her mouth. Beside her, Jacob was trying to appear stoic, but even I could see the turmoil brewing in his eyes.

"Why?" he asked gruffly, keeping his eyes on McCarty, who, in turn, gestured for me to take the lead.

"The money," I explained. "Mr. Black somehow found out that Rachel was still keeping tabs on Paul in prison. In fact, she had planned to get back with him once he got out. She would've had more than enough money to support their family once your father . . ." I trailed off, but the implication was clear. "But all that was shot to hell when Mr. Black got wind of her intentions. He had decided to draft another will, leaving all his assets equally distributed between . . ." I paused, meeting Bella's eyes. "Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Isabella Black."

She dropped her head, closing her eyes with a quiet whimper.

My hand twitched, the desire to comfort her nearly crushing me from the inside out, but there was nothing I could do with McCarty sitting right next to me. I looked at Jacob and found him watching her closely, a conflicted look on his face. I could see that he wanted to reach out to her, but didn't. I was grateful that the bastard seemed to have recognized his place. He might not have killed his father, but after what he had done to Bella, he had no right to breathe the same air as her, let alone touch her.

A minute passed in tense silence while Bella regained her composure. She wiped her eyes before asking me to carry on.

"Mr. Black informed Sam about his decision, asking him to take care of the formalities, maybe once the wedding was over. Sam told Rachel, and I suppose she was . . . desperate."

"Where is she?" Jacob gritted. "I want to see her. I want to hear this from her fucking mouth!"

McCarty and I exchanged a glance. He cleared his throat. "Actually, Agent Denali is interrogating them now. If yo—"

A knock on the door interrupted him. We turned to Jasper as he poked his head inside.

"Sorry to interrupt," he quickly said with a contrite smile. "But we have a situation."

I jumped to my feet. "What's going on?"

Jasper's gaze roved around the room before returning to me. "Uh, Miss Black . . . uh, Rachel . . . she wants to talk to you, Boss. Only you."

I couldn't help but glance at Jacob before nodding.

"I'll be there."

Jacob stood, too. "I'll join you."

"No, Mr. Black," McCarty disagreed. "I can't allow that. You can watch from the adjoining room, but that's the best we can do. I'm afraid we can't let you in there while our agents are carrying out the interrogation."

His voice was firm, leaving no room for further discussion. There was no way Jacob could've argued the point. I didn't bother waiting to listen for his response, heading to the interrogation room.

I pushed the door open and walked in, and Tanya stopped talking mid-sentence.

"Sorry to interrupt," I told her, before fixing my eyes on Rachel. "I was told I was needed."

Gone was the demure, petite lady who'd cried buckets of tears while declining any knowledge of her father's demise.

The woman sitting before me had a calculating look in her eyes and a firm set to her shoulders that indicated no hint of defeat. Her fingers were interlocked lightly, as though she didn't care about the handcuffs slapped on her wrists. She smirked at me, tilting her head to flick her hair off her shoulder.

"Thank you for joining us, Agent Cullen," she drawled, using the same words I'd said to her before arresting her. "Or can I call you Edward?"

I crossed my arms and leaned against the desk. "Call me whatever the fuck you want," I retorted. "But start talking. Your partner-in-crime broke down hours ago. He's singing like the proverbial bird. We don't need a confession to have you thrown behind bars for the rest of your life." I leaned forward to look straight into her hazel eyes. "You're not the one doing a favor here. We are. So if you're not interested in accepting it, we've got better shit to do than sit here and play your games."

"Intense," she murmured appreciatively. "I like that. My fiancé is a lot like you, you know?" She looked at Tanya. "You know him, don't you?"

"I know of him," she replied. "I don't make a habit of getting to know lowlifes like Lahote."

Rachel's face went from mocking to thunderous within seconds. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, the fire was gone, replaced by the same conniving look from earlier. She ignored Tanya, and turned to me.

"As I was saying, there's no need for your bad cop routine," she informed me. "I know where I stand right now. And I know what's coming next." A hint of a curious smile flashed on her lips. "What I don't know is how you caught on to us. What do you say, Edward? You show me yours, and I'll show you mine?"

I cocked my head to one side, mimicking her light tone, as I said, "Oh, it's the little things. Your son . . . he doesn't smile very often, does he? Otherwise, I would've figured things out the first time I saw him." She didn't speak, but a frown marred her brow as I continued. "I happened to come across an older photograph where Seth was smiling—a genuine grin, wide and goofy, something only kids can manage. He had a very distinct little dimple on his chin. It reminded me of someone else related to the case."

"A dimple?" she questioned in a bland voice.

"That's right," I confirmed, walking around the table to grab a chair and sit next to Tanya. "A cleft in the chin. They're most likely genetic, aren't they? Because they're not that common in kids who don't have the trait in their families. That meant . . . it was highly likely that Sam Uley was related to your son." I let out a humorless chuckle. "For a moment there, I thought he was the father. So I asked for more photographs of Paul, and I must say, your fiancé doesn't smile much, either."

Rachel said nothing, staring at me with the challenge still dominating her eyes.

"We finally found one surveillance video of him laughing . . . and there it was on his face, too." I leaned back, stretching my legs and crossing my feet casually. "After that, all we had to do was dig deeper into Sam Uley's . . . or shall I say, Peter Lahote's life."

For the first time, a hint of something other than arrogance appeared on Rachel's face.

"You've got to give credit where credit is due, right, Tanya?" I asked. "Sam did try quite hard to erase all evidence of his real identity."

"But not good enough to escape our eyes," Tanya replied.

"Bravo," Rachel commented. "So you found out that Sam is actually Paul's brother."

"And therein lay his motive," I said. "But he wasn't at the wedding at all. So, obviously, he didn't actually commit the murder. He was just an accomplice to someone on the inside . . . _you_." I eyed her with disgust. "Soft-spoken, kind, repentant Rachel Black who was so indebted to her father."

Her eyes blazed at my words. "And that was exactly the problem," she snapped, her face morphing into a mask of bitterness. " _Indebted_. Anyone who made the mistake of accepting Billy Black's help was forever indebted to him. He thought he could control my life just because he gave me a place to live? He thought he could stop me from being with _my_ Paul? He was the one who made the whole mess in the first place by sending Paul to prison! He took my love, my child's father away."

"Because he cared for you," Tanya tried to say, but Rachel cut her off sharply.

"He cared for no one but himself and his son. The golden boy, Jacob could do no wrong in his eyes. But no one else was allowed a single mistake. I mean, look at what he did to Rebecca!" Her hands clenched into fists. "It was so easy for him to just throw his own flesh and blood out of the house. He would've done the same to me, if I'd told him the truth about Paul and me. Why should I feel any remorse for what I did? He left me no choice."

"Billy told Sam about the will, and he passed on the information to you," I said, redirecting her.

Rachel met my eyes. "Yes," she admitted fiercely. "My father never knew about Peter . . . Sam's connection to Paul and me. He had come to trust Sam quite a bit in the last few years. He told him to come over the day after the wedding to draft a new will that'd cut me off completely from his wealth."

"Because of the large withdrawals made on the tenth of each month from your account?" Tanya deduced, and shock colored Rachel's face. "Yeah, we know about that. A little more time and we can find out where you spent it, too."

Rachel stared between us, taking a moment to consider her next move, I supposed.

"I used to . . . contact . . . Paul through a burner phone. A prison guard would bring it to him, so that there would be no traces in the records," she confessed eventually.

"Impressive," I remarked. "So you paid the guard for that every month. Billy didn't like that, huh?"

"He found out that I was making the withdrawals three days before the wedding. He confronted me about what I was doing with that money. I made some excuse, but I knew he'd have it investigated somehow. When Sam told me he had decided to change his will, I knew my father had found out the truth." Belligerence flashed in her eyes. "What the hell was he doing snooping through my finances? I never wanted to do this. He was going to die anyway, and then Paul and I would've lived together happily with our son. But Billy Black couldn't rest without poking his nose into something that was none of his business!"

Tanya snorted. "I'm sorry, but I was under the impression that the money, even if in your account, came from none other than your father. He had been sustaining you and your son for years. What you did with it was none of his business?"

"He had more than enough to spare," she growled. "And don't you dare give me that holier-than-thou bullshit! You don't know what it was like, living under his thumb. I was there only because of Seth. I couldn't give him the life he deserved without accepting my father's oppression, so I bore it for as long as I could. And when that bitch Isabella came along . . ." Her mouth twisted into a sneer. "She had him wrapped around her finger. Everything right about her made him see everything wrong in me. If only he'd known how she was deceiving him . . ."

"You knew?" I snapped, and she smiled cruelly, rolling her eyes.

"I lived in the same house as my brother for years. I know he's gay. Daddy dearest would've known, too, but I think he preferred to live in the lie rather than face the truth that the only child he was proud of was in fact someone he would've been ashamed of. I was biding my time . . . knowing that the truth would come out someday. But then . . . Isabella showed up from God knows where. What wouldn't I trade for a chance to give her what she deserved for ruining everything. Suddenly, Jacob had a girlfriend, and then a fiancée. Dad acted like he had found heaven on earth."

"If you knew, why didn't you tell Billy?" I asked in disbelief. "He would've put an end to it, and Jacob wouldn't have gotten a penny from the fortune you had set your eyes on."

One side of her mouth pulled up sardonically. "You're making that assumption on the idea that he would've believed me. Jacob obviously had some sort of a hold on Isabella. She would've backed up his story, and that would've been enough for Dad. I would've been the one kicked to the curb, not them. Try looking at it every which way, Agents, but you'll get the same answer—I had no choice."

"So you killed him?" Tanya retorted. "Well planned, I must say. At first glance, it seemed like nothing but an accidental overdose."

"I guess you can say I don't do anything half-assed," she replied.

"But you aren't perfect, either. You went for a little more sedative than Billy's usual dose. Trying to be cautious?" I taunted. "That's what sealed it in favor of this being a murder, along with the lack of Billy's finger-prints on the stash of cocaine that you planted in the drawer. You aren't as good as you think you are, you know?" I snuck a glance at the one-way glass behind me before forging ahead. "If your brother hadn't been so pig-headed and he'd told us about Seth being in the room with him, we would've set our eyes on you earlier."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"From what I saw, only two people in that house were attached to Seth enough to know that he'd make a ruckus if he lost sight of his toy—you and Isabella."

"But Isabella, perfect Isabella would never do this, right?" She snorted. "I took Seth upstairs and tossed Brownie aside before I left the room. I went downstairs with Mrs. Cope, but once she got busy, I returned inside through the back door. Right on cue, my baby was making a fuss, keeping Jacob occupied, so it was easy to slip past him."

"You'd already sedated your father," Tanya commented. "So it was a one-minute job to inject the drug and plant the syringe."

Rachel shrugged. "I was out of there before Jacob managed to get Seth to calm down, and already in the garden by the time he came downstairs to look for me."

"Ingenious, really." My voice was thick with sarcasm. "You made sure it'd look like an accident. Even if we ever suspected murder, you knew the drugs would lead us straight to Paul or Rebecca."

"Oh, Rebecca was such a happy coincidence!" Rachel shook her head with a half-smile. "I happened to see her at outside Mrs. Cope's office once. She went in with another woman before she could notice me. I was curious, so I asked Mrs. Cope for a copy of the staff she was planning to engage in the wedding. When I saw Joan Leaven in there . . ." She snorted. "It was serendipitous. I couldn't believe how everything was beginning to work in my favor."

"Not quite," Tanya reminded her, waving a hand around the room.

Rachel's eyes narrowed, as she drew in a deep breath. "I had no choice," she reiterated, as if that was the mantra she has been following. "I had to give it a shot. I had to try to protect the life I'd envisioned for my son. I did it for him, and I don't regret it."

"You used your sister, your brother, your own _son_ to try and escape the consequences of your crime." I pushed my chair back and rose to my feet, as did Tanya. "You'll be lucky if you ever get to see that little boy again. Think about that."

We turned for the door, and I held it open for Tanya to pass.

"Wait!"

I told Tanya to go on, before turning to face Rachel.

"Where was it?"

"Where was what?" I asked with a frown.

"The paper with the details of the new will," Rachel clarified. "There was nothing in the locker at the club. Or did you take it out earlier?"

I just looked at her, wondering what it was that'd turned her into this . . . cold-hearted sociopath.

 _Was it the loss of her mother? Or the hardships of a demanding, disciplinary father who favored his son?_

 _Or maybe it was Paul Lahote . . . she had a taste of the darker side of life, and never looked back._

Whatever it was . . . I'd probably never know.

Some questions had no answers.

The one she'd asked me, though . . . yeah, I could answer that one.

"There never was any such paper," I told her and then left the room.

* * *

 **A/N: There we have it. There's still one question that remains unanswered . . . It was what you all were wondering at the end of Chapter 15. We'll get to that next time.**

 **It's all kinds of surreal to be posting this. I can hardly believe that the world of mystery and deceit that had come to life inside my head has now been shared with all of you. We still have around six chapters to go, so don't let my mushiness worry you. I'm just happy to have wrapped up the main aspect of the story—the murder.**

 **For updates, teasers, and exclusive pics—FB group: Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed {Link available on my profile here}**

 **See you in a week!**

* * *

 **FIC REC: Little Buttons by ChocolateLover82:** A fortunate encounter while wandering the city may lead Edward to realize that, perhaps, not everything is lost. But is he ready? AH, ExB.


	18. Chapter 18 : Starting Over

**A/N: It's Sunday in my part of the world! And Australia, China, Japan, Indonesia . . . Wait. Do I need an excuse to update a little earlier? Didn't think so.**

 **I'm sure some of you already know that ffn is being screwy about Update Alerts. I hope most of you are here reading this. Let's see how it goes.**

 **My usual note of thanks to Ninkita and Pamela. I'd also like to take a moment to thank my guest reviewers. I've received several kind ones in the last few chapters. I reply to all signed reviews, but since I have no means to contact you, I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I really appreciate your support. :)  
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 **CHAPTER 18**

 **STARTING OVER**

Tanya said nothing as she followed me into the adjoining room, where Jacob and Bella had been watching Rachel's confession. McCarty was also with them, and I imagined him breathing a sigh of relief as the case that must've given him sleepless nights finally reached its conclusion.

Jacob looked up as we walked in. His jaw was clenched, his arms crossed over his chest. I watched as he started to say something, but then stopped and turned his attention back to his sister. Bella stood beside him stoically, her eyes still trained on Rachel.

McCarty shook his head and stepped around them.

"Good work," he murmured. Tanya and I acknowledged him with a nod before he left the room.

A tremulous sigh escaped Bella's lips as she finally turned her back to the glass.

"Thank you," she whispered, looking between Tanya and me. "For . . . for finding out the truth."

Jacob glanced at her for a moment and then turned to us. "What will happen now?"

Tanya sighed. "We have her confession. We'll present the facts as they stand. But the rest is up to your lawyers."

"Our lawyers?" Jacob scoffed. "Our lawyer is going to be on trial right next to her. And I'm going to make sure she gets no other representation from the firm."

"Jacob." Bella looked conflicted. "You can't . . . Seth . . ."

"Seth is my responsibility now," he replied gruffly. "I'll make sure he never wants for anything." He threw a hard glance toward Rachel and swallowed thickly before saying, "She made her own bed, and she's not the least bit remorseful about it. There's nothing I can do for her." He stepped forward and held out a hand. "Thank you, Agents."

Swallowing my revulsion, I shook it. He conveyed the same sentiment to Tanya and then walked out of the room.

"Seth's a resilient little boy," Bella murmured, almost as if to herself. "He'll . . . He'll be okay."

Tanya stepped forward and placed her hand on Bella's arm comfortingly. "I'm sure he will. Just give it time. And don't sidestep his questions. Answer them as best as you can, even if you can't tell him the whole truth. The sooner he . . . starts to deal with this, the sooner he'll bounce back."

Bella nodded, regarding her carefully. "You talk as if . . . you know what this feels like."

"Not the exact situation, but . . . I lost a loved one quite early in my childhood, so I have an inkling of what Seth is about to face." Tanya smiled sadly.

Bella's eyes were wide as they flickered to mine before returning to Tanya. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't ha—"

"No, it's fine," Tanya assured her. "I didn't get a lot of answers back then, and it took me years to deal with it because I didn't know what the hell had happened. I don't . . . I wouldn't want that to happen to Seth. So just talk to him, okay? Doesn't matter what you say right now, but give him something to hold on to."

"I'll keep that in mind," Bella answered softly. "Thank you."

My mouth went dry when she looked at me. She bit her lip, hesitancy plain in her features. Her lips curled up the tiniest bit as she nodded and then stepped out of the room.

Tanya and I followed her out. She nudged me and threw a pointed glance toward Bella, making me frown.

 _What the hell was that supposed to mean?_

Before I could ask her, Bella paused and spun back to face us.

"I, uh, I had a question," she began tentatively. "I don't know if you're permitted to answer it or not. It's regarding the case . . . what you said to Rachel in there."

Tanya was still shooting daggers at me, so I forced myself to form some words.

"No harm in asking," I managed.

"I heard everything you said, but there's something I didn't quite get." She paused for a second. "You found out about Sam's real identity, but you never explained how you came to know about the will. I mean, did he tell you? Because Billy only spoke to him about it, right?"

I couldn't help smiling. "You caught that, huh?" She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "No, he didn't fess up . . . not until we told him how we managed to catch Rachel red-handed. Then, and only then did he agree to a deal. But to answer your question . . . it was fate, or I guess, from their point of view . . . bad luck. Before Sam came along as a partner in the firm _,_ Harry Clearwater was handling Billy's affairs. When Billy called Sam's office to speak about the will, apparently, Sam was out for a meeting elsewhere. The phone was transferred to Harry, and Billy spoke to him, as an old friend."

Her eyes widened in comprehension. "So it was Harry who informed you."

"Yes. I called him to get more information about Sam, and he told me how he had been planning to contact the officer in charge of this case himself. He didn't know if his conversation with Billy was important, but he'd wanted to bring it to our notice, just in case. When he told me, I could almost see every piece of the puzzle falling into place."

"Sam never knew about Harry's talk with Billy, did he?" Tanya added.

I shook my head. "Apparently, Sam had called Billy back later in the day and they spoke directly. And once Billy dropped the bomb, I doubt Sam even went to the office. He created the alibi he needed through his mother and concocted this entire plan with Rachel. Harry never had a chance to tell him about his knowledge in the matter."

Bella pursed her lips thoughtfully. "If Harry had mentioned it to Sam . . ." she trailed off with a shudder.

 _They might've killed him, too._

 _Or they would've given up . . ._ I recalled the arrogance, the sheer lack of regret on Rachel's face.

 _No, they wouldn't have backed off._

"Maybe," was all I said out loud, leaving the rest of my thoughts unsaid.

"Well," Bella said a little too loudly, probably trying to distract herself from the morbid turn of her thoughts. "Your instincts led you down the right path."

Tanya groaned beside me. "Don't goad him," she advised Bella. "If his head gets any bigger, he's not gonna be able to fit in through the doors here."

I scowled at her, but the sound of Bella's quiet laugh melted away my annoyance.

"He's good, and he knows it," she murmured, her eyes soft as they peered at me. "Nothing wrong with that."

Tanya snickered. "You wouldn't be saying that if you had to deal with it on a daily basis."

Her words were light, uttered in humor, but Bella's smile fell, sadness veiling her eyes.

Tanya noticed and changed the subject. "So what's next for you, Bella?" she asked. "You've been through a lot this past year. I know your troubles haven't ended on a remotely happy note, but . . . you have your freedom to look forward to."

I couldn't help but glance at Tanya, wondering what the pep-talk was all about.

It worked, though . . . to an extent. A small smile returned to Bella's lips, but her eyes remained subdued.

"Apartment hunting comes first, I guess," she answered. "I can't . . ." Her eyes flashed to me for a second. "There's too many . . . bad memories there. I want to look for a new place . . . a new beginning."

"That sounds wonderful," Tanya enthused. "Good luck."

"Thank you." She held out a hand, and Tanya shook it. Bella looked at me, then.

I reached out to take her outstretched palm in mine and squeezed her fingers gently.

"Edward," she whispered. "Thank you for everything."

As much as I hated to let her go, I had no choice but to drop her hand when her grip on mine loosened. She took a step back, keeping her eyes on mine, before suddenly turning away and rushing down the hallway.

My gaze followed her until she disappeared around the corner. When I started to turn away, I realized that Tanya was staring at me in disbelief.

"What?"

"Are you really this dumb?" she whispered. "Go after her!"

I stared at her in bewilderment. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Only to you apparently."

She rolled her eyes. "All that talk about new beginnings," she said, waving a hand as though I was missing something right under my nose. "She meant a new beginning for the two of you!"

"No, she didn't. You're reading way too much into this."

"Or you're not reading between the lines because you're scared," she snapped. "Don't let her go again."

"Tanya, we've barely come out of one mess. I don't thi—"

"Then don't! Leave the thinking to me. Just do as I say."

I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off with a sharp, "Go!"

"Alright, jeez," I muttered, backing away from her waggling finger. I walked briskly around the corner and craned my neck to look for Bella.

My heart plummeted when I couldn't see her anywhere. I rose on my tiptoes to try again, one last time, before I'd give up.

I scanned the hallway, focusing on the elevator at the end of it. I didn't even know what I was going to say if I found her, but the emotions welling inside me in that moment felt far too familiar.

How many times had I dreamed of just this—me, looking for Bella, but not being able to find her?

How many times had I hoped with all my might to hear her voice, only to be disappointed?

My chest grew tight as my mind reeled back to a night nearly five years ago.

 _I nudged my way through the throng of people and pushed the door open. Stepping out of the club, I breathed in deep, filling my lungs with much-needed air. The atmosphere inside had been dark and crowded, nearly suffocating me in its dreary clutches._

 _Tanya had wanted to celebrate our appointment into the Bureau of Investigation, and the hopeful, almost pleading gleam in her eyes was the only reason I'd agreed to come._

 _All night, a part of me hadn't stopped questioning what exactly I was celebrating._

 _A job that'd never been my first choice?_

 _The shattered remains of the promise I'd made to my brother?_

 _Being ignored and left behind by the only woman I'd ever loved?_

 _I sighed and raked my fingers through my hair, wondering once again what the fuck I was doing here._

 _The sound of soft laughter floated to my ears, and my head snapped up. I whirled around, scanning the parking lot, looking for its source._

 _It'd sounded just like_ hers _._

 _My breaths grew sharper as I caught a glimpse of two women making their way across the lot with their backs to me. My eyes quickly slipped past the blonde one, but grew wide when they fell on her companion._

 _Or, more specifically, her long, mahogany hair._

 _Before I knew it, my feet were moving in their direction. I crossed the distance between us in quick strides. The blonde one noticed me first, her eyes widening as she stopped in her tracks. She caught her friend's arm just as I reached them._

 _When she turned to face me, my eyes met large hazel ones, instead of the deep chocolate pools I'd been expecting and hoping for. A gush of air escaped my lips, defeat crushing me from the inside out as I realized my mistake._

 _"_ _I'm sorry," I muttered. "I thought you were someone else."_

 _The brunette smiled. "It's alright." I could see that she was about to say something else, but I turned away from them before she could utter a word._

 _"_ _Sorry to bother you," I threw out behind me, already walking away from them._

 _"_ _Hey!" one of them called after me, but I didn't stop._

 _When I returned to my original spot, Tanya was just coming out of the club. I watched her look around worriedly until she spotted me. Her shoulders sagged in obvious relief as she made her way toward me._

 _"_ _Hey." She smiled. "I thought you left."_

 _"_ _Just needed to get some air," I replied as casually as possible. "It's a little stuffy in there."_

 _Tanya's face fell. "You hate it, don't you?" she surmised sadly. "It's too much."_

 _I swallowed, averting my eyes. "I'm fine, Tanya. Just give me a minute or two, and I'll join you."_

 _She stepped closer, taking my hand in both of hers. "You don't have to," she offered gently. "If you're not having fun . . . we can go."_

 _I shook my head. "I don't want to ruin your night."_

 _"_ _You won't, Edward. We could do something else," she suggested. "Something you'll enjoy, too."_

 _Her voice was eager, and her eyes kind with no hint of judgement. All I saw in them was hope . . . hope for something I couldn't give her._

 _I hadn't missed the way she had looked at me all night, the way she had looked at me for months, but never taking it beyond that. Tonight, though, she seemed determined to take a step forward. Her words, her gestures . . . try as I might, I couldn't ignore them._

 _Nor could I ever return them._

 _I squeezed her hand once, then slowly pulled away. Her eyes flickered downward before returning to mine._

 _"_ _I don't hate the club. I just needed a moment to myself." I smiled and waved a hand toward the door. "Go on. I swear I'll be right behind you."_

 _She looked uncertain. "Are you sure?"_

 _"_ _Yes. I'm fine, Tanya. You really don't need to worry about me so much. This is our night to celebrate, and I'm here with you, one hundred percent."_

 _She smiled back, but this time her face held the barest hint of sadness, too. "Okay. I'll wait for you."_

 _I drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly as I watched her walk away from me. I thrust a hand in my pocket to grab my phone. My thumb made quick work of unlocking it before pulling up the contacts list. My subconscious knew just how far down I had to scroll down to get to the number I wanted . . . the number I'd tried over and over in the past year, only to be disheartened each time it failed to connect._

 _My finger hovered over her name, as a decision started to take root in my mind._

 _I couldn't go on like this forever—chasing after strangers who happened to look or sound like her._

 _I had a new life waiting for me ahead. It was nowhere near the one I'd dreamed of, but I had to learn to make my peace with that._

 _Her beautiful face smiled up at me in the screen, hitting something deep inside of me, leaving me bruised, but not broken. I had the memories of the time we'd shared, and they could keep me afloat until . . ._ if _she ever chose to come back to me._

 _The realization . . . it was bitter, but clear . . . harsh, but necessary._

 _With one last glance at her name, for the first time in a year, I ignored the call button and pressed the one that'd take me back to the home screen._

That was the night I'd given up on contacting her. Calls, mails, texts . . . I'd stopped inundating her with them.

A few months later, I'd begun to believe that I'd put the past behind me. It was only when I met her eyes in a mirror four days ago that I realized how wrong I'd been.

The desperation building inside me now, as I struggled to find her proved it beyond doubt. I'd never lost that little shard of hope that I'd find her again.

Just then, a flash of mahogany caught my eyes.

"Bella!" I called immediately, and started to run toward her when I saw that the elevator had just arrived. "Bella, wait!"

She heard me the second time. Relief filled my entire being when she turned back and began to walk toward me.

"Edward? What's going on?" Her gaze roamed over my face nervously.

"I-uh, I- I . . ." I stuttered like a fool, scrambling to find the right words. Tanya had all but shoved me away and I'd obeyed her order . . . but what the hell was I supposed to say?

Bella's words from earlier played in my head, and inspiration struck.

"You mentioned you were looking for an apartment," I told her, proud of myself for coming up with a complete sentence.

"Yeah," she admitted, looking a little puzzled. "I mean, I haven't started yet, but I plan to do that."

"My mother is an interior designer. She knows some trustworthy people in the real estate business. If you want, she could . . . help you get in touch with someone. If you don't already have someone in mind, of course," I added hastily.

Her face cleared, a smile tugging at her lips. "That'd be great. I . . . Honestly, I had no idea how I'd start going about it. But . . . are you sure Esme won't mind? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

I shook my head. "I'm sure she'd love to help you out. You know she was always fond of you."

"I always regretted never having met her in person," Bella confessed, and her cheeks flushed. "She seemed like a genuinely nice person on the phone. But after everything that has happened between us . . ."

"All she knows is that you had to go and be with your father," I murmured. "She understands. She knows what it's like to lose a loved one. She'd never . . . judge you. Still, if it makes _you_ uncomfortable, I won't ca—"

"No, it doesn't. I'd . . . I'd be very grateful for her help."

I took a second to observe her closely, but found only sincerity in her eyes.

"Alright then." I smiled. "I'll text you her contact information, okay?"

"Thank you, Edward."

Silence lingered between us for a minute . . . stretched, then broke.

Bella's gaze shifted to somewhere behind me as she said, "Your partner . . . she seems nice."

"She's a good person. I've known her since Quantico," I explained with a wry smile. "We share a similar history."

"I noticed," Bella admitted quietly. "It's nice that you have her now . . . and had her back then."

Something in her voice, her words made me pause.

"She has many sides, though. Sometimes, she's pushy as hell. That's the Tanya I normally get to see anyway. I guess the nicer one is reserved for the rest of the world." I considered my next words carefully. "Like colleagues, boyfriends. Me, I only get to experience the bossiness."

"Oh," was all she said. She looked away, but I didn't miss the way her cheeks suffused with color. Behind her, the elevator dinged as the doors opened. "I guess . . . I guess I should go."

"Okay." Our eyes locked, and it felt as though a hundred things hung unsaid between us, but I couldn't put words to any of them.

Bella tried, though.

"I'll see you." It was more of a question than a statement.

I nodded once. "See you."

When I returned to my desk, Tanya was looking at me like she was about to start bouncing on her toes any second.

"Well?"

"I told her my mom could help her find an apartment."

She winced. "Seriously?"

"What did you want me to do?" Frustration slipped into my tone. "Pour my heart out right in the middle of the bureau?"

Tanya shrugged. "Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. After all this tim—"

I cut her off. "After all this time, I don't know where she stands. The thing with Jacob wasn't real, but that doesn't mean she still has feelings for me."

"Are you serious?" she snapped.

"I'm not arguing this with you any further. She's here, I'm here. We have each other's numbers, and we agreed to keep in touch. Let it go now."

She pursed her lips thoughtfully, completely ignoring my diatribe. "Esme helping her get an apartment. On second thought, that's kind of genius. If she's half as skittish as you're being, maybe this is the excuse you need to get back on track."

"Tanya . . ."

She clicked her fingers. "Yep, you're on the right path. You'll get there." She grinned and walked away, leaving me to just stare at her retreating form. A few steps away, she stopped and whirled back. "Come on, partner. Things to do, places to be. That report is not going to write itself, you know."

I shook my head and released a breath, following her with a resigned smile while trying to pretend that her words didn't send a thrill of hope down my spine.

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 **A/N: I don't want to make any promises because it's not entirely up to me, but I will TRY for a mid-week update this time. TRY, okay? But if not that, our weekly schedule will definitely go on as usual. Hopefully, by then, the notification issues will be resolved.**

Updates, Pics, and Teasers are always available in **my FB group, Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed.** {Link posted on my profile}

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Tendrils of Life by kyla713 and ericastwilight –** Our scars are more than skin deep. We just have to be willing to reach through them.  
 **(The story was a collaboration between the authors, so you can find it on both their profiles.)**


	19. Chapter 19 : Thinking Things Through

**A/N: It seems like the problem with alerts has been resolved. But I doubt that the backlog of update emails has gone through, so I request that you** **PLEASE VERIFY IF YOU'VE READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER BEFORE DIVING INTO THIS ONE.**

 **Thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for their feedback.**

 **I have to say, I'm thrilled that everyone was Team Tanya last time. Team Edward . . . not so much, Lol! I felt kinda guilty about the last chapter not being meaty enough, but it was necessary to get them from one point to another, as is this one. So, I figured an extra update would probably make up for that and smooth things over.**

 **Enjoy!**

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 **CHAPTER 19**

 **THINKING THINGS THROUGH**

I turned my phone around in my hand, the motion reflective of my thought process, which was also going around in circles. I debated the decision within myself every which way, but couldn't come to any conclusion.

I tossed the phone aside, groaning as I pushed my hands through my hair. Frustration gnawed at me—my constant companion since the day Bella had walked back into my life.

And yet, not for one second could I bring myself to regret what'd happened.

A glance at the time told me I'd been at this for the past twenty minutes.

"Fuck it," I muttered before picking the phone back up.

Without giving myself a second more to reconsider, I pulled up the number I was looking for and clicked on the little green button.

She picked up within two rings.

"Ma?"

"Edward." She sounded really pleased to hear from me. "How are you doing, sweetheart?"

I sat back, letting myself relax as the familiar soft cadence of her voice washed over me. "I'm good."

"Solved another big one, I hear," she remarked lightly. "Your dad and I are so proud of you."

"Thanks, Ma." My parents had always respected the boundaries my job put between us, never trying to pry into my cases. But they also never failed to keep themselves abreast of my successes.

"Mm-hmm," she replied. A couple of beats passed in silence, words whirling in my mind, but refusing to fall into meaningful sentences.

"Are you ever going to get to the point, sweetheart?"

I was taken aback. "What?"

She chuckled. "Your two-word answers tell me there's something else on your mind . . . something you're reluctant to bring up."

 _What_ was _it about mothers?_

"I guess you're not wrong," I admitted, and she only laughed harder.

"Is that the best you can do?" she teased. "Alright, I _guess_ I'll take it."

I knew what she was trying to do—lightening the mood to make me feel it was okay to say whatever I needed. Usually, it worked to ease my mind enough to start talking.

This time, though, it didn't.

I was still struggling to give voice to my thoughts, and she sensed it in my silence.

"Edward," she prompted softly. "What's going on? Are you . . . are you in trouble?"

"No," I sighed. "Not really. Not that sort of trouble anyway."

She waited for me to elaborate, but when I didn't, she asked, "Care to tell me which sort, then?"

I decided to start with the easiest line of conversation.

"You can expect a call on your cell in the next few days," I told her. "Someone I know is looking for a new apartment. She has been through . . . a difficult set of circumstances. I told her you would be able to guide her down the right path without much hassle."

"Well, of course, I'd be happy to help one of your acquaintances." She paused for a second. "Am I allowed to get a little bit excited about the fact that you said _she_?"

I snorted. "I suppose you could."

There was silence across the line for a few seconds.

"Ma?"

"You're serious?" she finally gasped. "You met someone!"

"Kind of, bu—"

"Edward, don't you hold out on me!" she ordered. "I've been waiting for this day for years. Let me have my moment."

"You can have all the moments you want, but first listen to me. It's not that simple," I grumbled.

"Oh, darling, it never is," she enthused. "That's the fun of it!"

I frowned. "Ma, I'm sorry. I don't want to be rude, but I have to ask . . . Are you drunk?"

She giggled. "No, but I sure am giddy. I'm happy my boy has finally found someone."

I sighed. "It's complicated, Ma. It's complicated as hell." My voice came out much more despondent than I'd intended, and it made her sober up.

"I'm sorry I got carried away. I was only kidding, Edward. You can talk to me. Tell me what's wrong," she coaxed gently.

"The girl . . . woman I've . . . Her name is Bella."

"Bella," she repeated. "That's a lovely name. Where have I hear—" She gasped. "Wait, _Bella_? Your girlfriend from college?"

"Yeah," I breathed. "The same."

"How did you meet again?"

I knew I needed to tread carefully here. "She was . . . involved in the Black murder case."

"Involved? Wait, you don't mean . . . Isabella Swan!"

"That's her," I confirmed.

"Wow. I always knew her as just Bella, given that that's what you called her back then. Otherwise I would've made the connection earlier." Her voice grew tentative. "She was . . . the bride, wasn't she? I mean, I only know what I've heard on the news, but . . . Well, I see what you mean by complicated."

I rubbed my forehead. "No, it wasn't like that. I can't tell you much, Ma, but just know that Bella didn't . . . she never loved Jacob."

Silence stretched between us for a moment.

"I see," she eventually murmured. "Then where's the problem? From what you've told me, the two of you drifted apart six years ago. If you've happened to find each other again, and if there's . . . no-one else involved on either side . . ." she trailed off, and I could almost picture her shrug.

 _Of course she thought that_.

I grimaced, realizing that I was being unfair. I hadn't told them the whole truth about the way Bella and I had separated back then, and I wasn't going to do it now. How could I look to my mother for advice when she didn't know the entire story?

"There're a lot of . . . feelings," I tried to explain some of my conundrum without giving away much. "It wasn't exactly an amicable separation, Ma. We haven't been simply pining for each other all this time. We can't just pick up where we left off, you know?"

"And yet this is the first time you've ever felt strongly enough about someone to speak to your family about her," she pointed out, but not unkindly. "The last time you did that . . . we were talking about the same girl. As far as I know, there has been no one who has caught your interest ever since. Well, until now."

"You're right," I murmured. "But things are so different now. _We're_ different. There's . . . baggage."

"There's only one question you have to ask yourself here, Edward. Is she worth it?"

My eyes fell shut, and behind the lids, danced an amalgamation of memories.

 _"_ _Sometimes, even a single meeting is enough to feel the connection that could hold you together for the rest of your lives."_

 _._

 _"_ _For as long as I remember, he loves to tell the story of how the first time he took Mom's hand in his, that was when he knew she was the one for him. He felt something shift inside him at the way their fingers locked together perfectly."_

 _"_ _I know exactly what he means. We fit together pretty damn good, too."_

 _._

 _"_ _I don't believe in waiting needlessly to go after what I want. Since I woke up with a smile this morning, I know that I want to spend more time with you."_

 _._

 _"_ _I was terrified of coming back to you because I thought that there would be nothing to come back to, Edward. I was barely holding myself together with tape and glue. You didn't deserve someone like that."_

 _._

 _"_ _I'm so proud of you. So proud, Edward. I love you."_

 _._

 _"_ _There were so many days I'd pull your number up in my contacts and just look at it . . . hoping I had the courage to call you. But I never did. I was so afraid you hated me after what I'd done. I didn't want to see it in your eyes . . . to hear it in your voice . . . if you told me to just go to hell."_

When my eyes opened again, I had my answer.

"Yeah," I breathed. "She's worth it."

I could hear the smile in my mother's voice as she said, "I guess you know what you have to do, huh?"

"I do. Thank you, Ma."

"Anytime, sweetheart. I'm just glad you're finally opening your heart out for someone. It's too special not to be shared, you know?"

I grimaced. "You _have_ to think so. You're my mom."

"Don't forget that Bella thought so once, too. You just need to remind her of it. I don't know what exactly went wrong between the two of you, but I refuse to believe that it is unfixable." She paused for a moment, as if considering her next words. Her voice was softer than before when she continued. "You were . . . I could sense the difference in you back then, when you were with Bella. Ever since Masen . . . left us, it was as if he took a part of you with him. You locked yourself into a shell, keeping everyone away . . . sometimes even your father and me."

My throat felt tight. "Ma . . . I'm so sorr—"

"No, sweetheart, listen," she urged. "I'm just saying that the aloof boy I sent off to college and the one who called me every week in that last semester were poles apart. When you told me you'd found love, I knew it was Bella who had breathed new life into you. That kind of a bond . . . it doesn't break easily. No matter what pulled you apart back then, if fate has pushed you toward each other again, don't waste a second of it."

"You sound just like Tanya."

"Well, I always knew Tanya was smart," she replied, sounding smug. "Say, that reminds me. Tanya's coming over on Saturday, isn't she? Did you ask her?"

"Yeah," I confirmed. "I'd asked her last week. She remembered the date anyway."

"That's good." She said the words almost mechanically, as if her mind was elsewhere.

I questioned her on it, but she denied her preoccupation. When I persisted, she relented with a sigh. "I was just wondering if you'd like to invite Bella, too."

I frowned. "Invite Bella where?" I asked before realization struck. "Wait, you mean on Saturday?" She confirmed it, making me groan. "I don't think that's the best idea, Ma. Things aren't . . . settled between us. We're not there yet."

"You do realize I'll be speaking to her for the apartment anyway, right? You were the one who gave her my number. If you bring her over this weekend, you can stick around while we interact. You certainly won't be able to supervise us when we're looking at new places for her."

I was flabbergasted. "You're blackmailing me!"

She tittered lightly. "No, Edward. I'm just giving you the push you need. But don't worry . . . I'd never take it too far. It's your decision, sweetheart. I promise I won't pester you further. But if you do happen to let me know about adding another place at dinner, I'd be really happy. Is that more appropriate, Agent?"

"Marginally," I griped.

She laughed again. "Alright, then. I'll have to let you go. I'm expecting a call from a potential client anytime now."

"Alright, Ma. I'll talk to you later."

I ended the call, still a little peeved at the way both Tanya and my mother were pushing me to make a move. But I recalled the sound of Ma's laughter, and my annoyance faded away. Usually, this time of the year was particularly hard on her, as well as our entire family. If she could find some happiness by meddling in my life, I'd gladly take the deal.

I was still undecided on whether or not to extend the invitation to Bella, but I grabbed my phone and scrolled down to her number. If nothing else, I could simply let her know that I'd spoken to my mother about her situation.

With that thought in mind, I made the call. I held my breath, waiting to hear her voice, trying to put my words in order while it rang.

But all I got was her voicemail.

There was no preceding message, just a beep to let me know when I was supposed to talk.

"Hey, Bella," I started hesitantly. "I-uh . . . I just wanted to let you know . . ." Silence stretched on as I trialed off, the words drying up on my tongue. "Actually, nevermind. I'll just . . . uh, talk to you later."

I ended the call and tossed my phone aside.

"Fucking moron," I mumbled at myself before standing up and heading into the kitchen in search of food. I made quick work of putting together a sandwich. Grabbing a chilled beer, I returned to my living room and turned the TV onto a random channel. I tried to focus on the characters making a mess of their lives in the sitcom while I chewed, but it was futile.

My cell was burning a hole through the couch in my peripheral vision.

I ignored it, flipping through some movie channels while polishing off the last of my beer. I placed my empty dish in the dishwasher, then changed my mind and scrubbed it clean in the sink. Looking at the slim pickings in the fridge, I made a mental note to get some grocery shopping done tomorrow.

But _nothing_ could take my mind completely off the fact that it'd been over an hour and Bella still hadn't returned my call.

I returned to the couch and checked my phone, wondering if I'd turned it silent by mistake.

 _Nope._

I sighed and leaned back, closing my eyes when my head met the wall.

 _What the fuck was I doing?_

The last time I'd felt this way had been six years ago. A beautiful brunette had turned my world on its axis.

And here she was, doing it all over again.

Back then, it'd all been new and exciting. Today, there were wounds we'd given each other, knowingly and unknowingly.

Wounds that'd never truly healed.

My chest was tight, my stomach in knots, recalling the countless times I'd sat just like this, desperate to speak to Bella once I'd gotten back from Quantico, but unable to contact her in any way. Back then, I'd dealt with the disappointment to the best of my ability. But I now knew it hadn't been good enough. Sitting here, alone, waiting for a call that might never come, finding myself in the same place all over again made the raw edges of those wounds burn.

I cast my mind back to Bella's face earlier in the day, thinking of the way she'd glanced at me when she'd talked about a new beginning. I'd been so ready to argue with Tanya, but I couldn't deny that some part of me _wanted_ to believe that Bella had been hinting at the possibility of us.

I'd let her slip away once.

Not again.

If she didn't want me, she'd have to say as much to my face. I was _done_ with letting insecurities cloud our judgments.

I dialed her number and pressed the phone to my ear. Again, the ringtone went on and on until it cut off with a beep.

I looked at the time. It was just past seven.

 _Maybe she'd gone out somewhere._

But she must've got her phone on her. Would it really be too much trouble to shoot me a quick message if she was unable to talk?

I waited for thirty minutes, but there was still no response.

I pondered over the day I'd had in order to distract myself. Tanya hadn't gotten a chance to grill me again because we'd been buried in paperwork. Every piece of evidence was thoroughly recorded, checked, and rechecked in preparation for our briefing with the public prosecutor tomorrow. Jasper had grumbled a bit about the dullness of the task, but Tanya reminded him how crucial it was to make sure we made no mistake that'd end up letting the criminals get away scot-free. Cold-hearted murderers like Rachel and Sam deserved the punishment coming their way, and we had to make sure they had no opportunity to slip away because of any error on our part.

Rachel's baleful eyes flashed in my thoughts. They'd held all the bitterness she had kept hidden for so long, pouring out of every cell of her body as she'd talked about her family today.

I sat up straight when her words sounded in my memory.

 _"_ _And when that bitch Isabella came along . . . She had him wrapped around her finger. Everything right about her made him see everything wrong in me. . . What wouldn't I trade for a chance to give her what she deserved for ruining everything."_

Rachel was in our custody, as was Sam.

But what if they had someone else on the outside? What if they'd harmed Bella somehow and that was why she wasn't answering her phone?

Annoyance started to melt away as fear crept into its place.

I tried her cell one more time. She didn't pick up, and I found myself grabbing my car keys and pushing my feet into my sneakers.

Within minutes, I was racing down the road in the direction of her building. Once there, I was lucky enough to find an old lady making her way out of the door. I made up an excuse, corroborating it with my badge, and she was happy to let me in.

My heart pounded in my chest, anxiety mounting as I raised my hand to knock on her door.

Just then, my phone started ringing. I quickly reached into my pocket to pull it out.

Bella's name flashed on the screen, and I rushed to accept the call.

"Hello? Bella?"

"Edward." Her voice was low and soft with no hint of panic. The knot in my chest loosened. "I'm so sorry I missed your calls. I was asleep."

"Oh," I sighed, raking a hand through my hair, relief flowing into my veins. "Sorry to disturb you."

"No, it's alright. The ringer on my phone was off."

"Alright. Yeah, I'm glad you're okay." Embarrassment washed over me as I realized how stupidly I'd just acted.

Or rather, overreacted.

"I guess I'll let you go the—"

"Wait," she interrupted. "Why did you call? Did you need something?"

I winced. "Yeah, shit. I forgot to mention that."

I paused, and it made her chuckle. "You could mention it now."

 _Right._

"I just wanted to let you know that I'd talked to my mom. She'd be happy to help you out."

"Oh, really? Thank you," she replied fervently. "Then I'll give her a call next week."

"Yeah, do that." I hesitated. "That's it. I mean, that's all I had to say."

"Is that why you drove all the way over here?"

I froze. "What?"

"I thought I heard someone outside. Looked through the peephole, and there you were," she teased. I spun on my feet when I heard the door open behind me. Twinkling brown eyes met mine. She smiled as she cut the phone off. "Might as well come in."

I shook my head in an attempt to clear it as I followed her inside. I looked around the living room. The walls were a soft shade of blue, with shelves mounted here and there, bearing knick-knacks. Bella led me over to the plush brown couch and sat next to me.

"Is everything okay?" she murmured. "You look . . . upset."

I huffed out a breath. "No, I'm not . . . Just a little rattled." I shook my head. "It's stupid."

"If it makes you anxious, it's not stupid," she countered gently.

I looked up and found nothing but encouragement and curiosity in her eyes. The words began to tumble from my mouth, and I couldn't stop them.

"I was worried about you. When you didn't answer your phone for so long, I guess I overreacted. I had to know you were okay," I admitted in a hushed tone. I hesitated over my next words. "Rachel was . . . angry with you when I interrogated her. Somehow, I fretted myself into a tizzy about her exacting revenge somehow."

Bella gasped. "But isn't she—"

"In police custody?" I finished for her. "Yes. I thought she might've gotten someone else to . . . Forget it, please. I told you it was stupid."

"It's not stupid, Edward. Stop saying that. Thank you for coming all the way. I'm okay. I took just half a sleeping pill in the afternoon, thinking I'd get some rest for a couple of hours, but I overslept."

I frowned. "Sleeping pill?"

She averted her gaze. "Yeah. I had a prescription from back when Dad . . . I've had the need to take one occasionally. When I got back from your bureau, I just couldn't stop thinking about Rachel and Sam . . . or Peter, whatever he calls himself. But mostly I was worried about Seth." She let out a sigh. "That poor little boy. Jacob told me he'd be explaining . . . whatever he could to Seth today. I can't imagine how upset Seth is going to be. I just needed to escape reality for a while, you know?"

I nodded in understanding. "Do you feel better now?"

Bella bit her lip and shrugged. "Not so much. I . . . My thoughts are just a mess. Seeing this side of Rachel today . . ." She crossed her arms over her torso. "How could she do this to her own father? That . . . that hatred in her eyes, in her voice . . ." Her voice grew quieter until the words trailed off.

"I'm sorry," I offered. "I know that's not enough. But it's all I've got."

She gave me a wry smile. "I get it. You must see this all the time, hmm? People betrayed by their loved ones."

"Sadly, yeah. It never gets easier, but . . . you learn to deal with it. Time is an excellent healer."

"I know you're right," she breathed. "It's just so hard to believe it right now. I just . . . I just want to shut everything out. My mind, it keeps going around in circles. Rachel, Seth, Billy . . . their faces flashing through my memories." She pushed her hands through her hair. "God, I wish I could make it stop. Just for a little while."

We were silent for a few minutes. Her words swirled in my mind, and I eyed her speculatively as they triggered an absurd idea.

Bella noticed my stare and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You really want to escape reality for a while?"

She turned to face me fully, one corner of her mouth curving up in amusement. "That'd be nice."

I returned her smirk.

"I might know a way we could do that."

* * *

 **A/N: Care to venture a guess?**

 **Our man has sorted himself out. It's time to move forward. Next time, 5000 words of E/B coming up, so stay tuned. If it's edited and ready by the weekend, I'll make sure to post it then.**

 **For exclusive pics, teasers, and information about updates, come join us in my Facebook group – Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. {The link is available on my profile here.}**

* * *

 **FIC REC – You Can Lean On Me by amoet –** Bella Swan, a Psychology student, volunteers to a social service for her college project. She used to see people as her subject, but can she treat Edward Cullen, one of the kids there, like her other subjects or will she help him recover?


	20. Chapter 20 : Escaping Reality

**A/N: Hello. I ran out of edited chapters, hence the slight delay in posting this one. Ninkita has been working hard on them while setting up her new home these past few days, and they're all already written on my end, so fear not. We won't fall too far behind.**

 **Thank you to everyone for sticking with me until this point. Let's have some quality time with E/B, yeah? We've (and they've) deserved it.**

 **Many thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for their help.**

* * *

 **DISCLAIMER –** Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the author. The lyrics used in the chapter are from _My Heart Sings_ and belong to their rightful owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 20**

 **ESCAPING REALITY**

"Are you sure about this?" Bella murmured, pulling her thin, knitted shrug snugly around her shoulders.

The fabric of her dress billowed softly around her frame as she walked over to me, drawing my attention to her long, graceful legs.

This moment . . . I'd lived through it before. Unbidden, the memories of that evening, when I'd created an occasion out of nothing, just for a chance to have that special moment with her, filled my mind.

 _Bella reached out with one finger and pushed my lower jaw back up. "Now that's a reaction a girl wants," she teased me happily._

 _"_ _I . . . You . . . God, Bella," I finally managed. "You look beautiful."_

 _She smiled and blushed, the soft hue searing through her cheeks, turning them nearly the same shade as the fabric of her dress. Its wide pattern left the curve of her neck and shoulders exposed for my devouring eyes. The dress went down to her knees, but the heels she was wearing made her legs look long and so fucking perfect that I had to work to avert my eyes before I started drowning in visions of them wrapped around my waist._

 _I needed to focus._

 _"_ _Will you please tell me where we're going?" she asked for the hundredth time. "I busted my ass off to complete that assignment ahead of time to be able to go out tonight. And I can't even think of an occasion to celebrate today!"_

 _I took her hand in mine and led us forward. "Do I really need an occasion to surprise my girlfriend?"_

 _She pouted. "When it's the last semester of college and you're scrambling to get everything done in time, then yes."_

 _With one hand on the doorknob, I wrapped my free arm around her waist, pulling her flush to my chest._

 _"_ _Alright then," I whispered, leaning in until our lips almost brushed. "Happy Birthday, Bella."_

 _She blinked up at me, taken aback. "My birthday isn't until next month!"_

 _"_ _And you're going home then, given the long weekend," I reminded her. "I won't be able to celebrate it with you. It's the first one with since we've gotten together, so that would be a travesty, don't you think?"_

 _Her lips pulled up into a smile. "Then why now? Why not closer to the day?"_

 _I mock-frowned. "What, when you'd be expecting me to pull a stunt? Where's the fun in that?"_

 _Stepping back, I opened the door and right on cue, the lights came on._

 _"_ _Surprise!"_

 _Bella's hand flew to her mouth as she took in the crowd of her friends. It took her a moment to regain her bearings but when she did, she pulled me into a tight embrace._

 _"_ _I can't believe you got them all on board," she whispered in my ear. "How the hell do you convince so many people to come to a birthday party without a birthday?"_

 _I pulled back and cupped her face. "I didn't have to do any convincing. They all just love you so much." I placed a quick peck on her lips. "Plus, there's also the free booze."_

 _She laughed and shook her head before pulling me inside._

 _Bella danced from one group to another, acknowledging everyone and accepting presents with an ever-present blush on her cheeks. From time to time, she'd look at me indulgently. I'd wink, and she'd grin shyly before returning her attention to the person with her._

 _"_ _You did good, man."_

 _I turned and found Ben watching me with a wide smile. He came closer and stood next to me, clinking his glass with mine._

 _"_ _She looks so happy," he remarked._

 _"_ _Then my job is done."_

 _Silence ensued for a few moments before Ben cleared his throat._

 _"_ _So this thing . . . between you guys. It's getting serious?"_

 _I met his gaze. "I believe so."_

 _I steeled myself for some version of an_ It's too soon _speech, and Ben seemed to sense my guard go up._

 _He held up his free hand. "Hey, no judgment here. I knew I was meant to love Angela the first time I met her. It's just . . . I've known Bella since freshman year, and I've never seen her . . . like this. I just want to make sure you're both on the same page. She has been a great friend to us. I don't want to see her get hurt."_

 _"_ _I couldn't hurt her without hurting myself," I told him honestly. "I appreciate you looking out for her, but trust me when I say that I'm as new to this as she is. I've never felt so . . . close to someone so soon after meeting them."_

 _Just then, I could feel her gaze piercing my skin, and sure enough, when I turned my head, I found her staring at Ben and me with concern._

 _I shook my head once, smiling to allay her confusion. She grinned back, relieved, and I could almost feel her joy wash through me, leaving me warm and calm._

 _Each passing day with her showed me how easy, and yet how exhilarating it was . . . falling for her._

 _Some part of me knew it was already so much more than just that . . . but the first time I'd admit that would be to none other than the object of my affection herself._

 _Ben noticed our interaction and placed his hand over my shoulder._

 _"_ _I hear you," was all he said, and his eyes told me he accepted it . . . accepted me._

 _It wasn't long before Bella joined us. Soon, Angela reminded us that it was time for the cake, and I happily licked the icing off Bella's finger_ _—_ _amidst the onlookers' catcalls_ _—_ _when she fed me a piece._

 _There was one more surprise I had up my sleeve, and once Ben indicated that he'd set everything up the way I'd wanted, he gave me a thumbs up._

 _Bella looked on curiously as I grabbed a mike._

 _Maybe I didn't have the courage to voice my feelings just yet. But I couldn't resist showing her exactly how special she was to me, either. That was when I'd come up with this idea and enlisted Ben's help._

 _Now, nervousness bubbled inside me as the moment finally arrived. I focused on Bella's face and drew my strength from her._

 _With a deep breath, I opened my mouth and let my feelings pour out, albeit in someone else's words._

My head snapped up, and I returned to the present where she was standing right before me.

The cherry red shade of her lips contrasted sharply against the porcelain of her skin. With her teeth gnawing at the lower one, she looked up at me worriedly.

"Don't overthink it," I advised. "Just . . . just let go. Forget everything that happened, and just . . ." I trailed off, placing my hand out before her instead.

She glimpsed at my outstretched palm and then looked up to meet my eyes. A beat passed, and something flickered in her chocolate orbs before she reached out to place her hand in mine.

A small smile danced on her mouth. I returned it, squeezing her hand before leading us toward the door.

The inside of the café was dimly lit, lamps of different shapes and sizes adorning each table. The center of the room housed a large grand piano and behind it sat two people we recognized.

The hostess smiled at us in greeting, but before we could reach her, we were noticed by the person who'd invited us here. A wide smile spread across her lips as she waved us inside. She placed a quick kiss on her husband's cheek and left him to complete his song while she made her way over to us.

"Oh my Gosh!" she nearly squealed. "I can't believe you're here."

I smiled at her, curving my arm around Bella's waist in reassurance. She peeked up at me, her face dissolving into a soft smile.

"It's nice to see you again, Angela," I replied.

She stepped forward to hug Bella. "How are you? My God, it has been far too long!"

"It really has," I heard Bella whisper as she returned the embrace warmly.

I let them have their moment and waved at Ben, who smiled in acknowledgement, his fingers not missing a beat of the melody he was playing.

"Come on in." Angela broke away from Bella and led us over to a booth in the far right corner of the room.

Bella and I settled on one side, while Angela scooted into the other.

"I have to say, I was kind of surprised when you called, Edward," she told me. "I mean, when we met the other day . . . well, I could be wrong, but I got the impression that you weren't really going to keep in touch."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you that impression. It's just that social media isn't really my thing, you know? Not just because of my job, but otherwise, too. I'd rather spend time with my friends in person than from behind a screen." I glanced at Bella, who was watching me intently. "When Bella mentioned wanting to just . . . get away from everything for a while, I couldn't imagine a better way of doing just that."

"That's so nice!" Angela enthused and then reached out to squeeze Bella's hand. "I'm truly sorry for everything you've been through, Bella. Edward told me about your dad, and I've been following the case in the news. It's just terrible."

"Thanks," Bella replied softly.

Angela pulled her hand back and tapped her forehead. "Oh dear! Here I am, rehashing it all when you both probably want to just move on."

"It's alright, Angela," Bella assured her. "I know I can't change what has happened, and I'll have to deal with it for a long time. I just want this one evening to be about . . . well, anything but the shitstorm that has been my life for a long time. Like Edward said, catching up with you guys is the best way to do that." She gestured around the room. "This is a lovely place."

Angela beamed. "Thank you. We bought it three years ago. It was just a plain old café before Ben and I found a way to merge his love of music with my passion for cooking."

"So tell me how this works," Bella asked, just as a waiter came over to take our drinks order.

Once he left, Angela explained, "It's simple, really, just like karaoke without the machine. Ben is usually the one on the piano, but any one of the patrons is welcome to come and sing on the stage." She pointed over to the raised platform next to the piano. "We have a list of songs and their lyrics available, too, if someone wants a little help. But as far as music goes, Ben can pretty much handle anything."

"Impressive," I remarked.

Just then, the song ended and Ben stood from his seat to take a bow. A huge round of applause rang out in the room. He acknowledged it with a grin before making his way toward us.

"Knock me dead if that isn't Isabella Swan in the flesh," he boomed before pulling her in for a hug. "How've you been, lady?"

"I'm better now," she replied with a smile. They broke apart and Ben greeted me with a quick handshake.

Drinks were brought out, and conversation flowed around the table as we sipped at them. Ben and Angela elaborated on what else they'd been up to since college, while Bella and I were happy to listen, interjecting with questions as and when needed.

But I should've known the reprieve wasn't going to last long.

"So guys," Ben drawled. "Last I heard, _yesterday_ , Bella was Jacob Black's fiancé, and you were investigating his father's murder. And now you're both here with us, _together_."

Angela nudged him in his side, and he looked at her with raised eyebrows. "What? Like you aren't curious."

"Of course I am, but I'm trying to respect their privacy," she hissed.

"Aw, baby," he grumbled. "Of all the times in the world I've asked you do to that, why'd you have to listen now?"

I was wondering how to tackle the question, when a snort sounded from the woman sitting beside me. I gaped at Bella, flabbergasted by the humor shining in her eyes.

"You haven't changed one bit, have you?" she teased Ben. "Always poking your nose in my business."

He grinned back. "You know it."

Bella turned to me, and the intensity in her eyes stirred something deep inside my chest.

"You can ask," she said, obviously addressing Ben, but her eyes stayed locked with mine. "But I don't know if I have an answer."

"I never liked the look of Jacob Black anyway," Angela threw in, obviously unable to resist commenting when she'd gotten a segue. "All those women he was found with . . . well, I would've never pegged you as the type to go for a playboy, Bella." She sighed, looking at both of us. "I was always rooting for the two of you, even when we weren't in touch. I was so shocked when I heard of you on the news."

Bella threw me a mischievous glance before turning to Angela. "What if I said you're right? Jacob was never my type."

Angela's eyes widened. Even Ben leaned forward in interest. I, on the other hand, sat back in my seat, waiting to see where the hell she was going with this.

Bella nodded, laying the suspense thick as she went on, "It's classified information, guys, so I can't share everything with you. You understand, right?" I bit my lip, stifling my smile as Angela nodded intently. "If you promise not to talk about this to anyone, I'll tell you a secret." Bella crossed her arms over the table and whispered, "Jacob and I were never a thing."

Right on cue, Angela's hand flew to her mouth. "Are you serious?"

"Completely! There were . . . other reasons for the wedding that was going to happen." Bella peeked at me. "And as horrible as everything has been these last few days, the fact that I didn't marry Jacob is the only good thing to come out of it."

"Interesting," Ben replied, raising his eyebrows. "So that means the two of you . . ."

Bella's eyes flashed to mine, and I sensed the challenge in them.

I accepted it.

"Sometimes it feels like the last six years didn't happen," I said, looking at Ben, but I could feel Bella's stare burning a hole through my skin. "We moved on, but not quite. Despite everything, picking up where we left off doesn't seem so absurd, you know? It doesn't feel as impossible as I thought it'd be. Maybe we've . . . we've been away from each other, but never truly . . . apart."

I tried, but failed to stop my gaze from flickering to Bella. Her wide eyes displayed her surprise, but I was sure I could see the hint of a soft smile on her mouth. I looked down when her hand reached out toward me. She placed it on mine where it lay over my knee, squeezing gently. I turned my palm upward, molding my fingers around hers. Slowly, tentatively, we interlaced our fingers, letting them fit together as perfectly as they always had.

"That's beautiful," Angela whispered, pulling us back to the present. Ben's lips were pursed in what looked like amused scrutiny.

"I'm really happy for you guys," was all he said with an inexplicable glint in his eyes.

The subject of our conversation shifted to more mundane topics as we ordered and then devoured our food. Bella had to let go of my hand to enjoy her dinner, and it warmed my heart to see her do so reluctantly.

We were polishing off the last of our meal when a soft chime rang out from Ben's phone. It sounded like an alarm or a reminder.

"That's my cue," he announced and stood. "Last set for the day." He gave his wife a sweet peck before making his way over to the piano.

Angela looked on with dreamy eyes as Ben took his place on the bench and stretched his fingers, getting them ready to glide over the keys. He announced the name of the patron who'd signed up to have their go on the stage.

A chubby, black-haired man made his way across the room, waving eagerly to acknowledge the encouraging applause provided by the audience. Angela told us he was one of their regulars. He took a moment to speak to Ben, and within seconds, the opening notes of _Yellow Submarine_ filled the air. His voice had a surprisingly pleasant husky tenor that had the crowd cheering and singing along in no time.

I couldn't help but laugh when he really got into it and performed a little shimmy. Bella's eyes were soft when she looked at me. I returned her smile, which only widened when I felt her fingers entwining with mine once again.

Next in line was a drunken blonde, obviously recovering from a bad break-up who found her solace in belting out a Taylor Swift song, her girlfriends joining in whole-heartedly on the chorus. Ben was a trooper, managing to wind his way through her off-key notes and even pulling out some beats from his mobile phone that helped her perform her heart out on the stage.

The audience couldn't help but chuckle when a young man sitting at the table upfront declared that her ex was a douchebag who didn't deserve her. The blonde gave him her full attention and then her phone number as he asked her out right there.

Bella and I chuckled as he fist-pumped and winked at the crowd before returning to his table.

"Never a dull moment around here," Angela chirped.

The blonde finally got off the stage, giving Ben a kiss on the cheek before she left with her group.

"I can see that," Bella replied through her giggles.

"Next up, we have a new one, ladies and gentlemen," Ben announced proudly. "This evening has been really special for my wife and me because we've reconnected with some really great old friends. And what better way to end this celebration than by having him sing something for all of us!"

Bella's head swiveled to meet my shell-shocked eyes as Ben said, "Please welcome Edward Cullen over here with a round of applause!"

"Fuck," I muttered, as the patrons clapped and whooped to prod me along.

"C'mon up, Edward!" Ben smirked. "We won't bite."

Bella's lips were pursed, obviously stifling a smile at my expense. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"It'll be fun," she offered.

"They're all pretty great here," Angela assured me. "You saw it with that girl earlier, didn't you? I know you're going to do a better job!"

"If I end up being propositioned, though, I'm never coming back here," I grumbled before standing.

I left them to their chuckles and grudgingly made my way over to Ben.

"You know I'm going to kill you, right?"

He just snorted. "Actually, I think you're going to thank me. Not now . . . but someday. Music is a language like no other. When words fail, it does the trick. And I think you're in need of a few tricks." He tilted his head toward a book lying beside him. "Why don't you see if there's something in there that suits your fancy?"

I glared at him for a beat before picking up the book with a sigh. It had several songs and their lyrics, just as Angela had mentioned. I scrolled through the index until my eyes landed on a title I hadn't come across in a long time.

As soon as the familiar words had registered in my mind, my eyes snapped up, seeking Bella's.

She was already watching me, her fingers steepled together under her chin. Without breaking her gaze, I handed Ben the book back, murmuring the name of the song I'd chosen. He turned to the keys and flicked his fingers in a signal that prompted someone to dim the lights.

I grabbed the mike and a spotlight fell on me.

I let go of the world around me, focusing solely on the deep, chocolate eyes trained on me. Ben's fingers danced over the keys and the melody began. I drew in a deep breath before singing the first line of a song that was once her favorite . . . a song I'd once sung for her in front of all the people she knew, giving her a glimpse of my feelings for her even when I couldn't voice the words to convey them.

 _"_ _4 A.M. this hotel room and I think of you,  
Not in anger, but in danger of calling you,  
My mind's a long, long way from it was dead,  
And now the good times just keep drifting back in, whoa!"_

I watched Bella's eyes widen and her lips part in a gasp, and I knew she remembered. I held her gaze, the connection grounding me to the present even as a deluge of memories from our past washed over me.

 _"_ _Breathe it on out the end will come so freely,  
You'll figure it out the answer will come so clearly dear,  
Let it all go cause we can't know just what will be,  
Hard it is to set you free,  
It's so much easier that way._

 _My heart sings when I think of you,_  
 _That is what you do,_  
 _A melody that will settle me,_  
 _That is just the thought of you,_  
 _My heart sings and it's time you knew, yeah,_  
 _My heart sings."_

The audience had joined on after the first couple of stanzas had been sung by the previous performers, but they didn't do so with me. It was easy to forget about the world around me, focusing on nothing but the rhythm floating through Ben's fingers, caressing the lyrics as they left my mouth, hoping ardently that Bella understood the meaning behind them.

 _"_ _I'm not made of stone, I'm only flesh and bone,  
I'm half crazy and amazed that you are alone,  
Let's sit on the shore, watch the ocean breathe,  
It's getting dark but we both don't want to leave, whoa . . ._

 _Breathe it on out the end will come so freely,_  
 _You'll figure it out the answer will come so clearly dear,_  
 _Let it all go cause we can't know just what will be,_  
 _Hard it is to set you free,_  
 _It's so much easier that way."_

Bella's hand drifted to her lips, lingering there as she peered at me while I brought the song to a close.

 _"_ _My heart sings when I think of you,  
That is what you do,  
A melody that will settle me,  
That is just the thought of you,  
My heart sings and it's time you knew, yeah . . .  
My heart sings,  
My heart sings."_

Ben added a little harmony as the last word hovered in the air before dissipating into silence.

"Thank you," I murmured into the microphone and stepped back.

Finally pulling my eyes away from Bella's, I allowed myself to look at Ben, who wore a wide grin on his face. He raised his hands above his head, leading a slow applause that was immediately echoed by the rest of the audience.

I smiled, relieved and a little abashed as they continued to clap for several moments. I raised a hand in acknowledgement, thanking everyone once again before I started making my way toward our table. A few patrons clapped my back or shook my hand along the way.

The applause slowed only once I'd reached my seat. I waved once again in thanks, and they finally quieted down as I sat down beside Bella.

Her hand still covered her mouth, but I could see the tremulous smile peeking out through the gap between her fingers. Now that I was close to her, the tears glistening in her eyes stood out, making me believe that she _had_ understood what I'd been trying to say.

"Oh, Edward, that was the best performance I've ever seen!" Angela gushed, so I turned to her.

"Thank you."

"Truly," she sighed, clutching her chest over her heart. "So beautiful. You're such a lucky girl, Bella."

My eyes drifted back to Bella, only to find hers already trained on me.

"I'm starting to believe that," she whispered quietly . . . only for my ears.

It wasn't long before Ben joined us again after bidding goodbye to his audience and thanking them profusely for their support. I looked to Bella, silently asking if she was ready to leave, and she nodded.

A waitress appeared at our table just as we were about to stand, requesting Angela's presence to solve some matter in the kitchen. Angela proposed that Bella should join her, offering to give her a tour of the kitchen. So the girls went inside, while Ben and I headed toward the door.

We lapsed into a comfortable silence for a moment. Ben leaned against the wall as we waited. A few patrons passed us by, complimenting him on the food and the ambience before they left. I took a moment to check my phone for any messages from work, but thankfully, there were none.

"Angie's not stupid, you know," Ben remarked suddenly and casually, catching me off-guard.

I replaced my phone in my pocket and frowned. "What?"

"My wife . . . she's not stupid. Just a hopeless romantic."

I was at a loss for words, having no idea what'd brought this on. "Ben, I never . . . I'm sorry if I said somethi—"

He held up a hand. "No, you didn't. You haven't offended me. I'm just saying that she sees the world through rose-colored glasses. We really have thought a lot about you and Bella in the past six years. Angie was glum at having lost contact with Bella, but she always imagined the two of you being together, wherever you were." He smirked. "Your relationship has always been some kind of a benchmark in her mind that even ours couldn't match up to."

I opened my mouth, but then closed it again when I could find no appropriate response to his declaration.

"The point I'm trying to make is that, despite what the two of you are saying, I'm sensing that you haven't quite had the conversation about where to go from here," he continued. "There's a . . . hesitancy between the two of you. Angie doesn't see it, but I do. And that brings me to my first sentence. My wife is not stupid." He leaned forward, meeting my gaze head-on. "The reason she believes in you both is because what happened up there earlier—" he jerked his thumb toward the stage "—is not something you can fake. You and Bella might not believe in what you guys had . . . what you still have, but . . . I guess I just wanted to let you know that others do, you know?" He shrugged.

I stared at him, speechless, and he clapped my shoulder.

"And that's all the sappiness we have in store for you today," he announced with a guffaw. "Relax, Edward. You look like you've seen a ghost."

I shook my head. "I'm- I'm fine," I stuttered. "Just didn't know I was so transparent to everyone, that's all."

"I suffer from the same affliction." He threw a fond glance toward his wife, who was giggling as she made her way across the room with Bella. "That's why I recognize the signs."

He said nothing more because the girls joined us then.

"What'd we miss?" Angela asked with a grin.

"Just telling Edward how lucky I am to have you."

Bella returned beside me, while Angela rewarded Ben with a kiss that was bordering on inappropriate in public.

"Everything okay?" Bella whispered.

I plastered a smile onto my face. "Yeah."

We chatted for a few more minutes before Bella hinted at the late hour. Angela and Ben had an hour to go until closing time, so we took their leave. Despite our protests, they refused to charge us for the meal, insisted that we repay them with a promise to keep in touch. Warm hugs and phone numbers were exchanged before we bid them goodbye.

Stepping out on to the street felt strangely unsettling . . . like we'd left a whole another world behind.

Neither of us reached out to touch the other as we made our way to my car. I held the door open for Bella before making my way to the driver's side.

Once on the road, silence ensued between us. she was looking out the window, while I sneaked glances at her profile from the corner of my eyes.

When I couldn't stand the quiet any longer, I cleared my throat. Bella turned immediately, expectantly.

"Did you have a good time?"

To my relief, she smiled. "Yes. Thank you so much, Edward. It was a lovely evening." A sigh left her lips. "Ben and Angie are such wonderful people. I've been terribly secluded all these years, and they accepted me back into their lives like it was nothing."

"Isn't that what true friendship is supposed to be? No matter how much time passes, you can pick up where you left off."

She hummed in agreement.

"And . . ." I began cautiously. "You told them the truth about . . . you and Jacob. Well, somewhat. I wasn't expecting that."

"What other way was there to explain how the two of us ended up there together?" she remarked lightly, but then paused, a veil of sadness clouding her features. Her voice grew quiet when she continued, "I'd be lying if I said I haven't been thinking of the what-ifs ever since we found each other again. I don't know what I was thinking back there. Just . . . maybe I just wanted to live out one of those alternate realities for a little while. If things hadn't gone wrong between us, if I'd contacted you after my father was gone, if I'd answered your messages, your emails . . ." she trailed off sadly.

"Did you . . . did you read them?"

She swallowed before shaking her head. "I would never have been able to stop myself from running back to you if I had," she murmured. "I didn't open them . . . but I kept checking if there were new ones. And one day, you just stopped . . ."

I pulled up into a parking spot underneath her building and turned to her. I reached out to take her hand in mine, relieved when she didn't hesitate or pull away.

"I stopped because I realized it was doing no good. It seemed like the only thing I could achieve by them was to bother you, and I didn't want to do that. Especially because I knew what you must've been dealing with back then." I squeezed her hand. "But I never gave up, Bella. Why do you think I have the same phone number and e-mail id still active after all these years?"

Her lips quivered as she released a deep breath. "I'm so sorry."

I shook my head. "No more of that, please. Let's put the apologies behind us."

A tear escaped, rolling down the curve of her cheek. I caught it with my thumb.

Watching the horde of emotion swimming in her eyes, I knew I needed to make myself clearer here. What we'd said to each other before Ben and Angela had been . . . some sort of a game, but she needed to know I'd still meant everything I'd said.

I was ready to move forward . . . if that was what she wanted.

And I knew exactly what I had to do to prove that to her.

"Bella . . . I have something I want to ask you."

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, I know. Couldn't resist. :) Shouldn't be too hard to guess, because some of you were quite eager for this to happen after the previous chapter!**

 **See you next week.**

 **For teasers and pics related to the chapters, join us in my FB group – FANFICTION BY FOREVERROBSESSED.**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Finders Keepers by SuddenlySandi – Bella and her friends go to a cabin for a fun vacation. Someone is determined not to let them out alive. (All human)**


	21. Chapter 21 : Moving Forward

**A/N: Hello, folks. I hope this week has been kind to you.**

 **A little heads up before you begin reading – My dad underwent surgery yesterday. He's back home and all is well with him, but the recovery will take a few days. So I won't be able to reply to the reviews this week. If you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them, but they might come a little later than usual.  
**

 **Alright, now let's quickly thank Pamela and Ninkita, and get this show on the road!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 21**

 **MOVING FORWARD**

Tanya plopped into her chair with a heavy sigh. "That was exhausting."

I looked at her askance. "We found the killer in an hour. That's a record even for us."

"It was a long hour," she groaned, punctuating it with an eye-roll.

"I was the one who had to run after him," I reminded her.

She threw me a smug grin. "And I was the one who cornered him from the other end. Work smart, not hard, Cullen."

"I led him there!"

She patted her hands over her knees and stood to stretch her limbs. "Fine, whatever. Team effort." She held out a fist, and I grudgingly punched it with mine. "What's up with you, anyway? The easy ones not cutting it for you anymore? They can't all be puzzles, you know. There are bound to be some stupid criminals out there."

It was my turn to sigh. "Just . . . got a lot on my mind."

"Bella?" she guessed.

I said nothing, my eyes drifting to my phone where it lay on my desk—silent.

"What happened last night?" She pulled up a chair close to mine and leaned in to meet my downcast eyes. "Didn't you say something earlier about spending the evening with Bella?"

"We went out to see some old friends for dinner," I explained. "Bella wanted to take her mind off things for a while, and well, I suggested it."

Tanya's eyes widened. "That's great! So, what's the problem?"

I hesitated for a moment. "Last night . . . we hinted . . . to our friends that we were . . . together. Actually, not really together," I amended with a grimace. "Just . . . alluded to the possibility of it."

Tanya was silent for a few seconds. Then she muttered a curse under her breath.

"What?"

"This would've been the perfect time to whistle," she grumbled. "If only I could."

I huffed out a breath. "Duly noted. And I guess we're done talking." I started to stand, but she grabbed my arm to pull me back.

"Wait! I'm sorry. I was kidding, Edward." She coaxed me back into my seat. "So you just pretended. Tell me what happened after. Did things get awkward?"

"No," I murmured. "They didn't. It was just as Bella described it last night . . . like stepping into an alternate reality for a few hours. One that could've happened if we'd pulled our heads out of our butts."

"And it was good?" Tanya asked gently. "It was . . . _is_ what you want?"

I lifted my eyes to hers, nodding slowly.

"She began to apologize about everything that'd happened. I tried to tell her I was ready to move on from all of that, move forward . . . together. In order to make myself clearer, I, uh, I invited her to dinner tomorrow night."

"You're kidding!" she gasped.

"Nope," I sighed. "Though I wish I was. Because her response was to ask for a little time to think about it. It has been—" I glanced at my watch "—sixteen hours since then, and she hasn't gotten back to me."

"Wow." Tanya blinked, chasing the astonishment off her face. "Nothing says going steady like a meal with the fam."

I shook my head. "That's not why I decided to invite her. Well, not the only reason. The purpose, the meaning behind this day . . . Bella would understand. She was the one who helped me face all those feelings I'd locked up and buried somewhere deep inside me. She was the first person I started to trust after losing Masen. I don't know if I would've ever confronted some of those demons if she hadn't been by my side at that time. She has all the right to be there tonight."

"But she's nervous," Tanya deduced. "Understandably so."

"Or maybe she wants nothing to do with me anymore."

She scowled. "Don't be silly. Sounds like you had a wonderful evening yesterday. Why would she suddenly change her mind?" She placed her hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure she's just worried, Edward. Give her the time she needs."

The sound of footsteps made us look up. Jasper's gaze was full of curiosity when he walked past us to his desk.

"Everything okay?" he asked tentatively.

"Peachy," Tanya replied and pushed her chair back. "Just relishing the idea of the upcoming paperwork."

He grinned back. "It could be worse. I mean, we have a confession already. That's a record, even for us."

"That's exactly what I said." I rose to my feet and held my hand out for the folder he was carrying. "Let me get a final statement. You guys can get started on the filing."

"Come back right here when you're done," Tanya ordered. "You're not escaping the paperwork so easy."

I threw her a salute. "Yes, dear."

Two hours passed in processing and filing, making sure the man who killed his wife, left his fingerprints on the gun _and_ attempted to run away when we confronted him would be convicted for his crime.

When I returned to my desk from the pantry, the screen on my phone was lit up with a notification. On closer inspection, my heart lurched into my throat when I saw Bella's name there.

"She called?" I asked Tanya, who was sitting close by, inspecting her nails.

"Yep."

"Why didn't you tell me when it was ringing?" Frustration had seeped into my voice, and it made her look up.

"No harm in making her sweat for a few minutes." She winked, and I shook my head.

"I don't want to play any games, Tanya."

"This isn't a game," she retorted. "It's barely a move. You've been out of practice with this dating thing." I was about to reply, but she didn't give me a chance. "You're wasting time all on your own now. Go, call her!"

I threw her an exasperated look before making my way to a more secluded corner. I checked my phone and found a missed call from Bella, but no voicemail, so I called her back.

She picked up within two rings.

"Hey."

"Sorry I missed your call, Bella."

"It's alright," she replied. "I only realized later that you must be at work. I didn't mean to disturb you. I just wanted to talk to you about what you'd asked last night."

Her voice was soft, hesitant, and it made my hopes plummet.

"It's alright if you don't want to come," I assured her. "I didn't mean to pressure you."

"No, that's not it. I . . . I'd love to meet your family. But I'm not sure this is the right time. I mean, Masen's birthday . . . I wouldn't want to intrude upon you all. I didn't . . . I didn't know him. I don't know if it's right for me to be there."

Her words reminded me of my own harsh ones I'd said to her without second thought.

" _Don't act like you knew him. You didn't know my brother, so please, for God's sake, don't try to give me these platitudes."_

My eyes fell shut, and I cursed myself for not recognizing the reason behind her hesitation sooner.

"You know who suggested that I should invite you there? It was my mother, Bella," I told her. "When I spoke to her about meeting you again, she told me she'd love to have you there. She remembers the difference she saw in me after I was able to confide in you. I am so sorry for what I said that day. I was out of line . . . and to be honest, just . . . going crazy with the idea of Jacob with you," I admitted in a whisper. "I didn't understand why you were saying those things to me if you were with him. Still, that's no excuse for the way I treated you. Please don't let it . . . cloud your decision. I was wrong, and I'm so sorry."

For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of her breathing on the other end.

"Alright," she finally murmured. "If you're sure it's okay with everyone, I-I'd love to be there."

Nothing could've stopped the smile that broke out on my face.

"I'm sure. It's more of a . . . celebration, as odd as that sounds." I hesitated over my next words, but then forged ahead. "You remember what I told you about Masen. He would've hated it if we assembled to cry over what happened. Instead, we just get together for a meal on his birthday, like we always did when he was with us. Tanya will join us, too. It's . . . my mother's delicious food, some talking, some reminiscing. Nothing too heavy. There are too many other days in the year to do that. On Masen's birthday, we try to celebrate the spirit of life like he did every single day that he lived."

I heard her sniffle. "That sounds perfect," she whispered thickly. "I hope . . . someday I can get to that point, too. About Dad. I'd love to be able to just focus on the good memories, but the bad ones just . . . they overshadow everything."

"Time, Bella. It's relentless. It passes and whisks away anything that comes in its path. You can't fight it. All you can do is keep moving."

She let out a soft hum. "So I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow."

The next day passed in lurches, some moments speeding by and some lingering until I drove myself crazy. I had the entire day off, so I tried my best to distract myself by catching up on some chores, but nothing could keep my mind completely off what was to come later in the evening.

As I stood in line to pay for my groceries, I thought about Bella.

While waiting for the dryer to do its trick with my clothes, I thought about Bella.

After chucking the nozzle in its spot, I watched the dial as my car filled with gas, and once again, I thought about Bella.

By the time evening rolled around, I was a bundle of nerves, and it was a wonder I managed to make my way to her house unscathed.

My breath caught when she opened the door. She was wearing a simple teal dress that went down to her knees with sleeves hung off the top of her arms, leaving the curve and dip of her shoulder bare. There were no frills, no embellishments on the fabric, and she'd paired it with simple black heels.

Shrouded in simplicity and grace, she was still a vision to behold—the most beautiful one I'd ever seen in my life.

I was glad she'd left her hair loose, letting it cascade down her back in natural waves. She tucked a lock behind her ear as she smiled in greeting.

"Ready to go?" I asked.

"Yeah."

I held out a hand and she took it, stepping over the threshold and locking the door behind her.

The drive to my parents' place was pleasant—the conversation between us light, and the silences in between comfortable. We talked about little things that probably would've seemed routine to an outsider, but they were extremely significant to me. Despite having known each other so well in the past, the past six years had molded us into different persons. I was coming to realize that more and more every second that I spent with her, and I was eager to get to know her better in every way she let me.

Bella was talkative at first, answering my questions and asking her own, but dissolved into silence when I told her we were just ten minutes away.

I glanced at her and found her lip wedged firmly between her teeth, her fingers twisting the hem of her dress. I reached out to place my hand over hers, stilling her anxious movements.

"It'll be okay."

She gave me a tremulous smile, but squeezed my hand nonetheless. I left it in her grasp until I'd pulled into the driveway.

I got out first and stepped around to open the door for her. She took my proffered hand, but then let go as soon as she was on her feet.

I didn't push, recognizing her nervousness and knowing that nothing I said would alleviate it. I knew it'd pass once she met everyone inside, but until then, I let her be, just leading us toward the door.

My mother must've heard the car come in because she had the door opened even before I'd lifted my hand to knock.

"Edward," she whispered happily wrapping me in her gentle embrace.

I hugged her tight for a moment. She pulled away with a smile on her face as her gaze fell on Bella.

"Hello, Mrs. Cullen." Bella's voice wavered, but only slightly. "Thank you for having me over."

Her eyes widened when Ma reached out to take both her hands instead of the one she offered.

"You're very welcome, dear. And please call me Esme. Come inside."

Bella peeked at me, and I gave her a reassuring smile. The rigid set of her shoulders relaxed somewhat as she walked into the living room. Tanya was already there, engrossed in the television with my father. When we walked in, she threw us a wave while he stood to greet me. I introduced him to Bella, and he welcomed her with a warm smile.

I looked around, looking for the final member of my family who was supposed to join us today. I was about to ask when I heard her gravelly voice call out for me.

"Edward."

I smiled, spinning on my feet as she wheeled her way into the room. I kneeled before her and took her slender, yet strong hands in mine.

"Nana." Leaning in, I pressed my lips to her wrinkled cheek and felt it lift into a grin.

"It's so good to see you, my boy."

"How was your trip?"

She smiled, patting my cheek. "Good enough. A little tiring, but worth it with my gals." Her gaze drifted to somewhere behind me. "I seem to have missed a lot while I was gone, huh?"

I shook my head indulgently, recognizing the curiosity burning in her voice. I followed her gaze to find Bella shuffling her feet. I gestured for her to come over, and she did so, slowly lowering herself to her knees. Our arms brushed as she slid closer.

Nana's eyes were sharp as ever, looking at her intently as I introduced them. She regarded Bella closely for a few seconds before her lips pulled up into a smile. I felt Bella relax beside me.

"It's very nice to meet you, Bella. You know, my best friend has a granddaughter who looks just like you."

I couldn't help but chuckle. Nana was always finding ways to connect one event to another. Anything new she saw, or anyone new she met would always remind of something that'd already happened to her or someone else she knew.

Nana ignored my reaction and asked Bella if she'd ever been to Alaska. Before I knew it, she was happily regaling the experiences she'd had on the cruise she'd been to with some of her closest friends. I couldn't control my grin when I saw Bella look amazed and awed at some of the things Nana proclaimed to have done. Nothing had ever defied my grandmother's indomitable spirit. Her advancing age held no chance of stopping her from fulfilling her travel dreams.

We were engrossed in her tales, and I could almost picture the scenic mountains and the icy lakes she described, when Ma called out that dinner was ready.

Bella stepped forward to help set the table, but I nudged her back toward Nana, who was more than happy to have found a new companion with whom she could share her stories.

Once everything was set, we took our seats. Dad led us in a small prayer for Masen, and I closed my eyes, picturing his smiling face with the impish twinkle that never seemed to leave his eyes.

 _I miss you_ , I thought, like I always did in this moment. The ache in my chest—the one that'd been a constant companion since the day I'd lost my brother, my friend, my confidant—flared, but it also soothed me.

Because it meant that I remembered him.

And I never wanted to forget.

The mood remained somber for a while as food began to be passed around, but it wasn't long before conversation started to flow. Ma asked Bella what sort of an apartment she was looking for, and Bella put forth the few ideas she had.

The meal was delicious as always, and Ma beamed when I said as much.

The discussion around the table wandered between the past and the present—stories of all sorts of mischief Masen and I used to get into interspersed with catching up on what was going in whose life. My eyes would flicker to Bella from time to time, a sense of relief coursing through me when I'd see her relaxed stance and smile.

Once we'd finished eating, both Tanya and Bella offered to clean up, but Ma would hear none of it. She shooed them away to the patio out back with a glass of wine. Dad and I made quick work of helping her load the dishwasher and then I helped Nana settle herself in the living room.

I stayed put for as long as I could, but eventually, I couldn't resist walking out to the backdoor that led to the patio.

Through the glass, I saw Tanya and Bella sitting together, engaged in conversation. I yearned to join them, but something in their body language told me I would not be welcome.

So I waited, making myself busy with small talk with Dad for a few minutes until Tanya walked back inside. Nana waved her over, and I took the opportunity to slip outside where Bella still sat.

She must've heard my footsteps, but she didn't turn. Taking that as a sign that she didn't mind my presence, I lowered myself to the stairs beside her.

Her eyes roamed around the garden that was my mother's pride and joy, but mine couldn't have moved from her face if my life depended on it.

"It's so beautiful," she breathed. "I can only imagine how it looks in the day with all the flowers in bloom."

"There's something peaceful about this spot," I agreed. "Ma has always loved to sit back here and just breathe after a long day at work. That's why she added the little lights and makes sure they're working all year round. It has been a sanctuary for all of us from time to time."

She hummed, her lips curving into a soft smile. But her eyes remained distant, like there were a million thoughts swirling behind them.

We were quiet for a moment, as I tried to give her the space she obviously needed, even though her silence made me worry. But it wasn't long before my impatience took over.

"Are you okay? You don't . . . we didn't make you uncomfortable, did we?" I said the words, but then realized that it didn't necessarily have to be my entire family. It could be just _me_. "Do you want me to leave you alone?"

She turned to me then, looking surprised. "Of course not. I was just lost in my thoughts. I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "Don't apologize. Share them with me."

Bella slowly released a sigh, a forlorn look settling over her features.

She said nothing for a few beats, but I sensed it wasn't a refusal to my request—more like she was trying to find the right words to share whatever plagued her mind.

"I couldn't help but think about the difference between our experiences. We both had such . . . I mean, we've both lost our loved ones far too soon, but your situation couldn't have been further apart from mine." She looked away and her voice grew softer. "Being here with everyone made me realize I was lucky to have the two years I had with Dad. They weren't easy, but . . . at least I had a chance to be with him, take care of him, say . . . goodbye." Her lips pressed together, a single tear trickling down her cheek. "But your family . . . Masen just . . . you never . . . you couldn't . . ."

Her shoulders shook, as did her voice, and she trailed off.

For a moment, I watched her lose herself in her grief, aching to comfort her, but not knowing how it'd be received.

But when she wrapped her arms around her torso, as though she needed them to keep herself from falling apart, my hesitancy vanished.

I placed my arm around her shoulder, pulling her into my side, breathing a sigh of relief when she scooted closer willingly. Tightening my hold, I let her tuck herself under my chin, her face buried into my chest while mine rested against her hair.

She didn't sob, but took a few deep breaths to compose herself.

I turned my face for a moment, brushing my lips against her forehead.

"You know how it is," I murmured against her soft skin. "We're going in blind, remember? Taking each day, each moment as it comes and making the best of it. Dealing with whatever crap gets thrown our way, paying prices we never imagined, but always . . . always moving forward. Because there's no other choice, is there?"

She sighed into my shirt. "No. No, no there isn't." She paused for a beat. "But it makes you think, doesn't it? About precious, _precious_ time going by mercilessly while we let so many things get in our way."

I started to pull back, wanting to look into her eyes to gauge the true meaning behind her words, but she held fast. So I stayed put, saying nothing, just holding her close, gaining and—hopefully—giving her some solace.

It could've been moments or hours later when she finally pulled away, dashing a hand across her cheeks to wipe away the last of her tears.

"I'm sorry. You said this night isn't for the heavy, but I just needed a moment."

I placed my hand under her chin, pulling it up until she met my gaze. "Whatever you need, Bella." She gave me a tired smile, and I let her go. "I'll head back inside, okay? Take your time, and then we can leave."

"Okay," she whispered.

I stepped through the glass doors, almost running into Nana before I'd even taken two steps.

I scowled playfully. "Were you eavesdropping?"

She let out a peal of laughter. "Oh, Edward! If only . . . I was just peeping."

I rolled my eyes before leading her away from the patio. Bella walked in behind us, smiling as she made her way to the living room, where my parents were chatting with Tanya.

Nana and I stopped halfway to finish our conversation. "And what was it that interested you so?"

"I really wish you could see yourself when you look at her," Nana murmured with a twinkle in her eyes. "Then you wouldn't have asked me this question."

A deep sigh left my lips. "I don't need to, Nana. I already know . . . I'm crazy about her."

"Then what's the hold-up?"

The sound of Bella's laughter floated across the room, pulling my attention. She was standing with my parents and Dad was gesturing wildly with one hand, while Ma looked on in amusement.

The sight warmed my chest, the corner of my mouth tugging up wistfully.

"She's had her heart broken, Nana," I whispered, while my eyes remained on Bella. "So have I."

"Well, are you going to break it again?"

My head whipped around to face her. Nana only raised an eyebrow in response.

"Of course not," I muttered. "I don't ever want to hurt her. I just . . . All I want to do is love her and protect her . . . if she'd let me."

Nana placed a finger under my chin, tugging it up until I met her pointed gaze. "And is she going to have a dream where she'll just figure it all out? Jump out of bed and run straight into your arms?" She clucked. "You have to tell her how you feel, my boy. Remember Mr. Yorkie?"

I frowned. "Your old gardener?"

She nodded fervently. "He was in love with my neighbor's child's nanny, Julia. They had a whole thing going with silent gestures and looks across the rose bushes. But he never said a word to her. Do you know what happened after?" She looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to shake my head before continuing. "Well, my neighbors moved across town and Julia left with them. Mr. Yorkie could do nothing but mope after her for months until I kicked him off the throne of doom and despair. Do you want to end up like Mr. Yorkie?"

Again, she waited for my reply.

"No, Nana," I sighed obediently. I looked away, catching Bella's gaze this time. She smiled, her cheeks flushing when she realized I'd caught her staring. "But I've told her what I want. Maybe not in many words, but . . . I think she knows. The ball is in her court now."

Nana hmphed, but she didn't press further, and we joined the others. A few minutes of chatter ensued, before Tanya indicated that it was late and she should leave. I stood, too, and Bella followed to say goodbye to my parents.

"I'll look into a few options for your apartment," my mother told her kindly. "Give me two days' time."

"Please take as much time as you need," Bella assured her. "I look forward to hearing from you."

"She seems like a wonderful girl," my father whispered to me in an aside. "Don't let her get away this time."

As if the women in my life weren't involved enough in this matter. He had to drop in his two cents, too.

I rolled my eyes, and he smirked. "Just keeping it real, son."

Bella and I bid Nana adieu before making our way out. Tanya followed us out and waved goodbye before heading to her car.

As I drove us back to Bella's place, my curiosity about her conversation with Tanya flared. I almost asked her about it, but when I glanced at her, she had rested her head against the seat. The rhythmic movement of her fingers against her knee indicated that she was awake, but her eyes were closed and the hint of a gentle smile played on her lips.

I didn't dare shatter the beautiful moment where she'd found her peace.

And so it was only the soft strains of Debussy that filled the silence for the duration of the drive.

She resurfaced when I parked in front of her building. She opened her door before I could walk around to get it, but I went to her side nonetheless. Despite her protests, I insisted on walking with her to her door.

"Thank you for inviting me. I had a great time. You're so lucky to have such a beautiful family, Edward."

I smiled in thanks. "I'm glad you could make it. It wasn't as bad as you imagined, was it?"

She chuckled. "No. I think I let my imagination run far too wild. I know you said they didn't know everything that'd happened between us, but still, I couldn't help being nervous. Seeing you all together, though, it was . . . wonderful. Especially after everything with the Blacks . . . it felt good to restore my faith in a family." Her brow furrowed in frustration. "Am I making sense?"

"Perfectly," I assured. "You asked me how I dealt with watching people betray their loved ones on a daily basis. My family has always been my strength, reminding me that there's still . . . goodness and faith and hope in the world."

I waited, stuffing my hands in my pockets while she reached out to unlock her door. She pushed it open but didn't step away.

I swallowed thickly when she turned to face me.

A dozen emotions glittered in her dark eyes as they peered up at me. My heart hammered in my chest when she raised her hand, slowly bringing it closer until it rested on my cheek. Our gazes locked, conveying things that mere words could never express.

I watched her tongue dart out to moisten her lips, my own parting in anticipation. When she raised herself onto her toes, my breath caught in my throat.

Her lips were the softest whisper as they ghosted over mine, yet they sent me reeling. With a gentle tug, I pulled her lower lip between mine, sucking it softly. She responded in kind and titled her head to kiss me soundly. I grasped her waist, bunching the soft fabric of her dress in my fist while she looped her free arm over my neck and pressed her chest against mine.

Seconds, moments, years could've passed by as we kissed, and I wouldn't have noticed or cared. When she finally broke away, gasping for air, I refused to let her get away, placing gentle pecks against the corner of her mouth. Bella moaned quietly, weaving her fingers through my hair.

I pressed my forehead to hers, looking straight into the chocolate depths of her eyes. With her cheeks suffused a soft shade of pink, her lips glistening and parting with every breath she took, and the curve of her waist trapped within my fingers, for a second I could almost believe we'd been shunted back into the past . . . a time when I didn't have to hesitate to tell her or show her how much I loved her.

Nana's words danced in my mind.

I could still have that. _We_ could have it all over again . . . if I gave voice to the feelings that'd loomed inside me since the moment she'd walked back into my life.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" I whispered before I could lose the nerve. I pulled back an inch to be able to look at her better. "I have to work, but . . . we could do something in the evening. Maybe dinner?"

A slow smile started to make its way onto her face, starting with the crinkles around her eyes and ending at the sweet upturn of the corner of her mouth.

"I-I'd like that very much."

"Then it's a date," I told her, unable to mask the exhilaration in my voice.

Her fingers curled into a tighter fist in my hair, and she drew me closer.

"It's a date," she confirmed against my lips.

* * *

 **A/N: *sighs***

 **Coming up next is a surprise! If you want an exclusive preview prior to posting, come join us in my FB group, Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. If you need more incentive, let me tell you about how I slaved for hours (well, two hours) to create a Bella manip for this chapter. It turned out . . . well, not so bad, I think. Check it out and tell me what _you_ think!  
**

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 **FIC REC – My Mate Saga by** **Alynelovesyou – Vampire are Different. Edward is a 149 year old vampire, captured by humans to be tested on. He's lonely and craves to have a mate of his own. What if the scientist capture a very beautiful female vampire? What if she's the girl haunting Edward's dreams? Follow them on the adventure of getting back home and being a new mated couple.**


	22. Outtake : Haunting Choices

**A/N: Thank you for your well wishes as well as the kind reviews for the last chapter. Dad has continued recovering well, and all is as it should be. He'll be back to his usual routine in a few days' time.**

 **The following chapter is actually a part of Chapter 21 that we didn't get to experience because we were in Edward's mind, and he wasn't involved in the conversation. Hence, I took the decision to post it separately.**

 **Thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for all that they do.**

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 **CHAPTER 21 ~ OUTTAKE**

 **HAUNTING CHOICES**

"Mind if I join you?"

The voice startled me, but only for a second. I glanced behind me and smiled, waving Tanya over. She plopped down beside me without further hesitation.

"Here you go," she said, handing me the glass of wine Esme had promised to send.

"Thank you. Cheers."

She clinked her glass with mine, and we both took a sip of our drinks. Silence lingered between us for a few moments. I licked my lips once I'd polished off my glass, relishing the taste, and beside me, Tanya hummed in pleasure.

"Esme and Carlisle know their wines better than anyone," she told me.

"Edward didn't imbibe the knowledge, though, did he?" I said reflexively, recalling a particularly awkward evening at our second date when he'd chosen a pretty expensive wine that didn't go well with our meal.

Tanya snickered. "No. I remember he told me how he'd messed it up pretty bad on a date once. He always defers to Jasper or me on the few occasions that we manage to pull him out for dinner with us."

The idea of him remembering the evening made my lips stretch into an involuntary smile. Tanya saw it and recognized the meaning behind it.

"Oh my God! Was it you? Did you have to suffer through that disaster?"

"It wasn't a disaster, per se. Just . . . not an ideal combination. I think he'd asked his father for advice in order to impress me, but he didn't recall the exact name. So he ended up doing a little guesswork, and it didn't work too well. But it was _so_ expensive! Once we'd ordered it, no way were we going to leave there without finishing it. Even if the wine became a separate course all in itself." The memory made me laugh, and Tanya joined in. "It wasn't too bad."

"I would've given anything to see that. A flustered Edward is always a fun Edward, though I haven't seen much of him." She eyed me playfully. "Well, not until you walked back into his life, of course."

I held her gaze, biting the corner of my lip. "Is that a bad thing?"

Tanya's brow furrowed as she took a moment to consider my question.

"No," she decided eventually. "In fact, I'd much rather have the Edward who's made an appearance in the past few days, than the one I've been dealing with all these years. That guy was no fun. This one . . . well, I see some potential here."

"You know him well, don't you?"

"I guess I do. Is that a bad thing?" she asked, regarding me carefully while reflecting my words back at me.

"Of course not," I murmured honestly. "We both acted . . . well, I acted stupidly all those years ago. I know how much I hurt him. I'm glad you guys found each other, and that he wasn't alone." I paused and looked away, biting my lip against the question that threatened to spill from my lips. It was one that'd tormented me since the day of the wedding, since the moment I'd watched their effortless interaction. Edward's cryptic reassurance had quelled it some, but I'd watched the way Tanya looked at him, heard the affection in her voice as she talked about him, and despite everything . . . a small part of me, somewhere deep inside, twisted painfully at the idea.

"There's this thing people say," she blurted suddenly. "About elephants in the room. Personally, I've never understood the expression." I gaped at her, at a loss for words, but she didn't need my encouragement to go on. "I mean, why an elephant? Why not a giraffe or something? Or a hippo? I think tension shouldn't be likened to an animal at all. In my mind, _smoke_ makes more sense. It's silent, but it's there. You can't ignore it, and if you try to, it keeps making its way into your lungs and choking you from the inside."

"Right," I said hesitantly.

Her face softened. "I think we both have some things we'd like to say to each other. Maybe we should let it all out before we choke on it."

I swallowed thickly and whispered, "That makes sense." I drew in a deep breath, willing myself to hold my nerve. "Do you mind if I go first?"

"Of course not."

I wanted to get it over with, but the words still stuck in my throat. My gaze flickered away for a moment before returning to hers, finding no judgement or censure there.

"Did you never . . . After all this time you guys spent together, you never felt . . . something . . ." I trailed off, mortification flooding through me, making it impossible to say anything more. I wanted to bury my face in my palms and backtrack, but understanding flashed in Tanya's eyes before I could begin to apologize.

"Haven't you asked Edward? Or do you not believe his answer?" she asked.

Unease mingled with guilt, churning my insides. "I haven't asked him," I admitted quietly. "He did say something to indicate that there wasn't . . . But no, I haven't asked outright. Whatever he'd say, I-I'd believe him . . . unequivocally. I just didn't know if I wanted to know the answer." I huffed out a breath. "I'm sorry, Tanya. I don't even know why I'm asking you this right now. It has been running in my mind. I just . . . I just don't know."

She was silent for a few seconds, but her eyes never left my face.

When she spoke, her voice was still low and soft, filling me with relief that I hadn't affronted her.

"You're being honest here," she said. "It's only fair that I try my best to do the same. Nothing ever happened between Edward and me, Bella. But it wasn't for lack of trying on my part."

My breath caught in my throat, and I struggled to keep my neutral façade in place.

A soft gush of breeze blew around us. A lock of my hair danced into my eyes, so I tucked it behind my ear. My gaze flickered to the inside of the house, or more specifically, to the man standing a few feet away from the backdoor.

Edward's hand was tugging at his hair, his head thrown back in amusement while he chatted with his father. I knew how soft those strands felt between my fingers. I could picture the twinkle in his jade eyes when something truly amused him. I could imagine the rich, warm velvet of his unrestrained laughter, recalling countless moments when it'd echoed in my ears as he'd enveloped me in his arms.

He'd always been beautiful, inside and out. And it would be infinitely stupid to assume that I'd be the only one to recognize that.

Turning back to Tanya, I simply said, "I don't blame you for that."

She chuckled in response. "I know, right? I mean, look at him. Who wouldn't want him?" All the mirth dissipated from her face as she reached out to place her hand over mine. "But he only wants _you_."

The sincerity in her voice made my eyes well up. "It's hard to believe that sometimes," I whispered, letting out my deepest fear. "I've made so many mistakes. I lost him once. I'm terrified of believing that I've found him again."

"Hey, now, none of that," she admonished with a frown. "You have to try. Just . . . Just keep in mind that he's going through the same thing, you know? He had to let you go. Edward knew you needed him more than anything in that moment, but he had to watch you walk away from him. That left its mark on him as well."

I lost my battle against my tears and sighed as they rolled down my face. "But it's the fact that I _chose_ it. I chose to hurt him by thwarting his efforts to contact me, and it continues to haunt me," I confessed. "I was selfish. I wanted him to pick me, but he didn't. In the first few months after we separated, I was blinded by my rage, my grief. I was losing my father right in front of my eyes, and all I could think was how I'd lost Edward, too. I'll always be ashamed of the fact that, at the time . . . I _wanted_ him to feel the pain that plagued every moment of my day. I'd wanted him to choose me . . . and I never stopped to think that I never even gave him a fair chance to do so."

"But you see it now, don't you? You think that your mistakes will always be a part of you . . . that they left you broken. Maybe that's true, but then he's broken, too. All these years, he has constantly struggled with the decision he had to make. Don't try to hide your pain from him, Bella. Don't patch yourself up while holding back from what you can be. Hold each other up together. Give yourselves a second chance," she insisted. "Heal together. Being apart obviously sucks for you. Do we need any more proof of that?"

I couldn't stop the snort that left my mouth at her words. "I guess not," I mumbled, wiping my damp cheeks.

"To answer your question more completely," Tanya continued. "I'm a friend to him, and that's all I'll always be. I made my peace with it a long time ago, locking my feelings up inside me. When you came back into his life, and when I found out the truth about the two of you, I admit, you rattled the cage a bit." She nudged her shoulder to mine. "But I still love him enough as a friend to want him to be happy . . . always. That's why I'm here. I see you holding yourself back, Bella, and I don't understand why." She squeezed my hand gently. "You've lost six years. If things had worked out the way you'd imagined . . . hell, you guys would've probably been married and had a kid by now. Life's harsh and unstoppable. You've lost so much time that you'll never get back. Don't lose more. You were afraid once—afraid of admitting your mistakes, of reaching out to him without knowing how he'd respond. But he has still loved you all this time, and so have you. Admit it, for God's sake, and just . . . just be together like you were meant to be."

My breath trembled as it left my lips. Tanya didn't wait for me to respond, just squeezing my fingers once more before she rose to her feet.

"I'm not going to give you some speech about kicking your ass if you toy with him," she said, and the brevity had returned to her voice. "You're both adults, and you can make your choices. But that doesn't mean I won't be there to . . . _nudge_ you in the right direction, because I don't want my friend to hurt any more. We haven't known each other for long, so you might find this hard to digest, but I don't want you to be miserable either. If one moment of courage can bring you a lifetime of happiness, don't be afraid to jump off the cliff. You might just learn to fly." She threw me a wink before leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Tanya's words lingered in her wake, the hope they evoked warring with the bitter memories that'd been burned into my soul over the past six years—the unending moments where I'd counted my father's labored breaths, praying that each one wouldn't be the last, while every corner of my heart yearned for Edward's quiet strength to hold me through the ordeal I knew would never end well. Even after it had ended, the only thing I had to look forward to was an abyss of loneliness and despair, my own pride and fear preventing me from reaching out to the person who'd been the best part of my life. Aching for the sound of his voice and the warmth of his touch while resenting him for letting me go was a feeling I'd come to know too well. It burned like acid in every breath I took, tainting every beat of my broken heart.

As I'd said to Tanya, I'd been blind to the fact that, while he did choose to fulfil his promise to his brother in the beginning, the purgatory we'd lived through for the rest of those years had been of my own making. By the time I realized what I'd done, too much time had gone by, leaving me behind—still lonely, still grieving, and more so than ever, repenting . . . a helpless prey to the darkness inside me.

A tear trickled down my cheek and I wiped it off, trying to channel my thoughts down less painful avenues.

The day of the wedding had been one I'd been dreading for months, ever since Jacob had come up with his ridiculous plan. I'd woken up that morning feeling sick to my stomach, thoughts of Edward and a wedding I'd only had the privilege to dream of mingling with the vicious reality that I was supposed to face. As I'd stood in front of the mirror, gazing at myself in that white dress, it felt as though I would shatter to pieces under the burden I bore, and that would still be better than promising myself to Jacob.

As if that weren't enough, my mind had lurched with the possibilities of what that day could've been if I'd plucked up the courage to pick up the phone and call Edward. I'd imagined his family welcoming me as their own, his mother shedding tears of happiness as she arranged the veil over my head, my own eyes glistening with the evidence of my uncontainable joy. But the worst part of that illusion . . . the one that sent a crippling jolt of pain searing down my spine was Edward himself. I hadn't been able to restrain my smile as I'd pictured him sneaking into my room, defying tradition simply because he couldn't wait a second longer to see me. Behind my closed lids, he'd embraced me in his arms and pressed his lips to mine, murmuring how he was the luckiest guy in the world, when in fact, I knew I was the fortunate one to have him by my side.

A commotion in the hallway had made my eyes snap open, and the dream I'd envisioned had disappeared out of my reach like a plume of smoke, leaving me broken once again.

It hadn't been long after that that Billy's body had been discovered. Once the shock wore off, I'd found myself in front of the mirror once again, struggling to contain the emotions coursing through me, struggling to make sense of the person I'd become. There had been grief, of course, but what had haunted me was the barest hint of relief that I couldn't deny.

Relief at not having to tie myself to a man I despised.

And then all of a sudden, in the midst of my own perdition, _he_ was there.

The moment his eyes had met mine in the mirror, it seemed like the world had floated away . . . like _I_ had floated away, and the only thing tying me to the Earth was the force of his gaze.

In that moment, all I'd wanted was to launch myself into his arms and stay there forever . . . to feel his lips on mine and convince myself that this was no longer a nightmare or an illusion . . . to have him hold me close and promise to never let go.

Today, I had the luxury of imagining what would've happened if I'd done just that. Would he have held me . . . kissed me back . . . accepted my apology and confessed his love for me? Knowing what I knew now regarding what he'd been through in the past six years, the possibilities didn't seem as ridiculous as they previously had. I allowed myself a chuckle, thinking of what would've happened had we ended up reuniting and making out right there, a few feet away from the crime scene. Tanya would've walked in on us dry-humping instead of the stare-off she'd interrupted.

The idea was amusing . . . until I recalled why that hadn't happened.

The moment I'd seen a hint of disgust lace Edward's gaze, I'd been reminded of the dress I wore, of the lies he believed, and the reality he didn't know.

And the illusion had escaped me once again.

I turned back to the garden, breathing in deeply. The aroma of Esme's treasured flowers filled my senses, as I let the unwanted memories of isolation and guilt float away, willing courage and hope to take their place. I was no longer blind—not to the mistakes of my past, nor the cowardice I was showing in the present. I couldn't change the former, but as Tanya had put it, I only had to take a leap of faith to amend the latter.

I lost track of time, only resurfacing to the present when I heard footsteps making their way across the patio toward me. I didn't have to turn to see who it was. This time, every fiber of my being tinged with the awareness of _his_ proximity, longing for more, yet afraid of asking.

The dichotomy of my thoughts held me prisoner, and I remained frozen while he slowly settled in to sit next to me.

I kept my eyes on the garden and the little lights shimmering like stars in the dark, though I could feel his gaze burning into my skin. There were so many things I could've said, so many things I _should've_ said, but I needed to start with something . . . easy.

"It's so beautiful," I whispered. "I can only imagine how it looks in the day with all the flowers in bloom."

* * *

 **A/N: We know what happened next.**

 **This outtake is something that had been on my mind long before I even reached this point in my writing. It came to me one night as I lay in bed. Eager as I was to jot it all down while indulging my reluctance to move an inch, I recorded the bits and pieces as they came to my mind on my phone and transcribed it later.**

 **I guess all I'm trying to say through my rambling is that it was important for me to present Bella's side of the story to you all, and I truly hope you enjoyed this glimpse into her thoughts from the past and the present.**

 **We'll go back to looking through Edward's eyes next time. Two more chapters and then an epilogue to wrap it all up.**

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 **As always, pics, teasers, and updates can be found in my FB group – Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed (Link on my profile)**

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 **FIC REC – Flawed Perfection by exhaleblue – A one-shot filled with star-crossed lovers, broken dreams, and a man that means everything to a woman.  
**


	23. Chapter 22 : Falling for You

**A/N: Nothing remotely interesting to say today . . . Just hey there, welcome, and let's go find out what our darling couple is up to.**

 **Many thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for all their help.**

 **For those of you who follow my Fic Recs and leave reviews there – a ginormous** **THANK YOU** **! I've had a handful of fellow authors message me their thanks for sending you their way, and it truly gives me a lot of joy to see some lesser-known gems receive the appreciation that they deserve. Once again, thanks for leaving them love and letting them know where you heard of them.**

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 **CHAPTER 22**

 **FALLING FOR YOU**

I pushed the door open and stepped out of the courtroom, raking my eyes across the hallway until I found her.

She was leaning against the wall in the corner, peering through the window with vacant eyes. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she stood there motionless. Muted rays of the evening sun bounced off her hair, highlighting the barest hint of red in the chocolate waves.

I made my way toward her and wrapped my arms around her waist. She startled for just a second before leaning into me. I caught a stray lock of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. I let out a sigh as she relaxed against me, her body molding perfectly against mine. Contentment welled up deep inside me despite our surroundings. Four weeks had gone by since the evening we'd spent with my family and the moment we'd begun to put the past behind us while building our future together. Yet, moments like these, when it was just _us_ , when I no longer had to yearn to feel the warm velvet of her skin underneath my fingertips or hesitate to capture her sweet lips between mine, left me thrilled beyond belief. After all the years we'd spent apart, having her by my side, sharing my days, my thoughts, my life with her was still a little surreal. But I'd happily count my blessings and simply revel in the gift I'd been given because even if this were a dream, it was one I never wanted to wake from.

"You okay?" I whispered.

"Yes," she sighed softly. "I'm just . . . I just needed to step away for a moment."

"You did great up there," I assured her. "Concise, clear and effective. They're nearly done for the day."

I felt her shoulders rise in a shrug. "It's not like my testimony made much of a difference. I mean, with all the evidence you've gathered, plus Rachel's confession . . . she's not likely to see the light of the day again."

I tilted my head toward her. When she wouldn't meet my eyes, I freed one hand to hold her chin, gently guiding her face to mine.

"Don't you think she deserves that?"

"It's not that, Edward," she countered quietly. "I know she did a terrible thing, and I want to hate her for that. But I saw Seth today. It's hard to want this for Rachel when her little boy is out there without both his parents."

I curved my palm over her cheek, ghosting my thumb over the soft skin underneath her eye. "How's he doing?"

"He's . . . fine, given the circumstances. Jacob did his best to explain how his Mommy did a bad thing," Bella murmured and shook her head. "Seth tries to understand as much as he can, but . . . I couldn't bear it when he started asking for her. I didn't know how to console him. I remembered Tanya's advice and talked to him, answered his questions. It seemed to help, but . . ." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"You did your best, Bella," I offered, placing a kiss over the apple of her cheek. "I know it hurts to see Seth like that, but it has only been a month. Give him time." I hesitated over my next words, but then decided to voice them. "And maybe . . . maybe it's better for him to stay away from his parents, given the things they've done."

Bella stiffened in my arms, but before I could regret my words or apologize, she released a deep breath, almost sagging against me. "Maybe you're right. He'll be okay. He just needs some time. Hell, we all do. It still seems so absurd sometimes. Rachel . . ." she trailed off with a shudder. "Even today, there was no remorse in her eyes. How could she just sit there so defiantly after what she'd done?"

"In her mind, all her actions were justified. No matter what, nothing gets through to her. Not yet, anyway. It'll come, though . . . the regret. And when it does, she'll hit rock bottom. It remains to be seen whether Rebecca and Jacob can find it in themselves to give her a chance to apologize."

" _If_ that day ever comes, it might be too far in the future, given how they've been acting toward each other in the past month," she said, referring to the Blacks' absence at hearings unless they were required to be there. They'd each given their testimonies when asked, but true to his word, Jacob hadn't extended an ounce of support toward Rachel, leaving her to face the consequences of her actions on her own. Rebecca's rage toward her sister after knowing how she'd hoped to frame her for the murder hadn't dulled either. She'd supported Jacob in his indifference toward Rachel.

"Well, at least today they have a good reason for not being here," I reminded her, and it finally brought a smile to her face. It was the smallest upturn of the corners of her mouth, but I'd gladly take it.

"True. I'm sure Seth must've done a wonderful job."

"I can barely imagine a bunch of four-year olds performing on stage. I hope they got it all on video," I teased, hoping to distract her.

It worked.

She turned to face me, narrowing her eyes playfully. "The kids have a blast singing and dancing out there. What else do you think they'll do at pre-school? Geometry?"

"I'm just saying . . ." I drawled.

"Well, don't say a thing," she advised. "You didn't watch how meticulously Seth had practiced his lines. I have no doubt he did a great job up there."

Her lower lip was pouting ever so slightly as she put on a façade of annoyance, and I leaned in to capture it between mine. Her eyes were wide when I pulled away.

"I'll take your word for it. Like I said, I can't wait to watch the video." An unwelcome thought popped into my mind, and as much as I didn't want to disrupt her good humor, I couldn't resist asking. "Was Jacob there when you went to the house this morning?"

Bella shook her head. "I don't know. I just wished Seth good luck, gave him his present and came here right away. Even if Jacob was there, he didn't come down to see me." She grimaced. "And I'm actually glad for that. The way he's been taking care of Seth seems to indicate that he's changing, but . . . I'll never be able to look at him the way I used to before he threatened to ruin my life. Before . . . when I had no one, he was there for me. I believe I've repaid what I owed him. I can't . . . I can't forgive him for how he behaved later. I don't want to."

"Neither do I," I answered, and she smiled sadly.

"Maybe Embry's ultimatum has something to do with how he's trying to be better. Rebecca started to tell me something about how Embry had been giving Jacob a hard time for everything he'd done. But then I interrupted her. I wasn't interested in butting into their lives. I guess I hope that things work out for them, but it's none of my business."

"If Jacob really loves him, he'll make the effort. And if Embry feels the same way, he'll know some people in life are worth waiting for . . . despite how bleak things seem at some points of time."

"Look at you," Bella teased softly, wrapping her arms around my neck. "All wise and grown-up. You've figured it all out, haven't you?"

I shrugged, pulling her closer. "The only thing I know I have figured out is that I love you."

"And nothing else really matters," she murmured, burying her face into my chest. "I love you, too, Edward. I always have."

"I know," I whispered into her skin, pressing my lips to her forehead. My eyes closed for a few seconds as I let her declaration wash over me. It wasn't the first time we'd admitted our feelings to each other since we'd gotten back together, but the exhilaration that followed each time refused to diminish. Those three little words seemed inadequate to encompass everything she meant to me, and at the same time, after having been deprived of them for so long, I knew I could never take them for granted.

There was nothing more to say for the moment, so we stood there, wrapped in each other, not even pretending to care about the looks we caught from the people who passed by. I'd waited far too long to have her in my arms. Nothing could bring me to let go of her now.

"Did Seth enjoy his good luck present?" I asked after a moment, thinking of the soft toy Bella and I had picked out for him yesterday.

She tipped her head up to smile at me. "He did. He promised to take it to school with him today, to carry the luck with him while he performed."

The idea made me grin. "And Brownie?"

"Oh. Brownie was going, of course." Bella giggled with an eye-roll. "Nothing's topping Brownie in his eyes. Not yet, at least. We can keep trying, though."

I was about to reply, but got distracted when the doors opened behind us. We broke apart, and I took Bella's hand in mine as the people started to file out. At the far end of the room, I watched Rachel being taken away by an officer, her State-appointed lawyer tagging behind, looking disheartened.

The verdict wasn't going to be announced until the next session, but the way the case had gone, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that it wasn't going to be in Rachel's favor.

My eyes fell on Tanya as she walked out, flanked by Jasper and Alice. She nodded in acknowledgement before smiling and waving at Bella. They all walked away without coming closer, giving us privacy. But Tanya stopped when she was a few feet away from us, whirling around to look at me meaningfully. She pointed a finger at me, curling it toward Bella while mouthing one word she'd been pestering me with for the past one week. I rolled my eyes but nodded back, knowing that she'd never leave otherwise. She threw me a grin before turning back around and walking away.

I sighed, and Bella looked up curiously. "What was that?" she asked.

I pulled her into my side and started to lead her toward the exit. "She's always bugging me about something or the other. Don't worry about it."

"I'm aware," she replied dryly. "But this time it seemed to involve me."

"I'll tell you. Well, actually it's something she wants me to ask you." I glanced at my watch. "But we really need to get going right now if we have any hope of getting to your new home before all your stuff does."

That was enough to distract her.

"Oh, damn it!" She grabbed my hand, looking at the time again as though it'd change if she was the one looking.

"Don't you worry, Miss Swan. I promise to get you there in less than thirty minutes," I announced with a flourish as I pulled and held the door of my car open for her.

"You're gonna have to break more than a few traffic laws to do that, Agent Cullen."

I winked. "Anything for you."

It took me forty minutes to navigate the rush-hour traffic on the way to our destination, but we pulled just in time to see the truck with Bella's possessions turn around the corner, so I figured it was good enough.

Most of the heavy furniture had already been carried into the apartment in the past week, so what remained were just boxes full of her things—clothes, books, knick-knacks, and whatever else she'd deemed too precious to let go of. Between the three guys from the moving company, they carried most of it up speedily. I grabbed the remaining items, leaving Bella upstairs to supervise them as they arranged all of it wherever she wanted.

Once that was done, we paid their dues, plus a sizable tip for how smooth they'd made the transition for us. I closed the door behind them and turned around to find Bella standing in the center of the living room with her eyes closed.

I couldn't help but smile, even though I didn't know what the hell she was up to.

"Bella."

She simply hummed in response. I walked over to her.

"What are you doing?"

Her eyes remained shut, but her mouth curled up in joy. "Breathing in my new home." She drew in a slow deep breath, as if to emphasize her point, making me chuckle. That made her look at me intently. "You'll probably think it's silly, but . . . I haven't had a _home_ in so long. After Charlie was gone, I just . . . drifted through the days, weeks, months. And then everything with Jacob . . ." She shook her head. "That apartment suffocated me. To keep up the pretenses, there were these pictures of us together or little gifts that he'd supposedly given to me. Jacob never spent a full day there, yet that place never felt like home. That was why I came to your apartment instead of calling you over the night of the wedding. It was why I preferred to spend as much time at the café as possible. Everywhere I looked, all I could see were evidences of my cowardice, my failure to just . . . just . . ." Her voice grew sharper, more agitated as she struggled to find the right words, but she didn't need to.

I understood exactly what she meant. A home didn't exist if you didn't have someone to share it with, someone to fill it with laughter, love, and happy memories.

I shushed her gently, drawing her into my arms.

Her fists clasped my shirt and she tucked her head underneath my chin. "Esme did such an amazing job in finding this place and helping me make it into the house I'd only dreamed of until now."

I looked around the room, finding traces of her in the afghan hanging off the back of the couch, in the dock station lying in the corner of the room, in the little cluster of literary classics occupying half of the wooden bookshelf . . .

. . . _in the framed photograph on the side table._

I stiffened, wondering if I was seeing things. Bella sensed the shift in me and pulled back.

"What?" she asked, but I didn't need to say a word. She followed my gaze, and I heard her release a soft sigh when she realized what'd stopped me in my tracks.

She walked over to the table and grabbed the frame before bringing it to me. My hand rose of its own accord to touch the picture I remembered vividly, but hadn't set eyes on in the last six years.

"My birthday party without a birthday," Bella said quietly, though she didn't need to remind me. I recalled that moment all too well.

Angela was the one who'd taken this picture and she'd been very excited to share it with us.

I could see why.

It'd been taken right after I'd finished singing the song I'd prepared for Bella. I could still recall with perfect clarity how she'd run across the room and flung herself right into my waiting arms. She'd kissed me deeply before pressing her forehead to mine, murmuring _Thank you_ over and over. I'd swept her off her feet, lifting her up several inches above the ground, both of us sporting huge, goofy smiles.

That was the moment Angela had captured into a frame and preserved forever.

"I can't believe you still have this," I whispered. Tracing our faces through the glass, I could almost feel the joy radiating off the picture and seeping into every fiber of my being.

After having spent so much time alone, chasing pointless what-ifs that brought with them nothing but guilt and regret, it wasn't easy to believe that everything I'd ever wanted was now within my reach.

But now, holding a piece of our past in my hand—one she'd obviously cherished and held on to—made me want to _hope_.

"I could never bear to part with it," she answered simply. "This was the moment I realized how crazy I was about you. What you did for me that day made me think that maybe I wasn't the only one. Falling for someone so quickly is scary, Edward. But when I saw you look at me like this, sing to me so . . . honestly, passionately, it was a moment that gave me hope." She held my gaze steadily. "Six years ago . . . and then a month ago with Angela and Ben."

There were a million things I could've said . . . yet, there was nothing I could think of that was enough to express what she meant to me.

So I said nothing, just placing the picture back in its rightful spot before I pulled her closer. Our chests pressed together as her mouth found mine. My hands glided up her back to tangle in her hair, while hers clasped around the nape of my neck.

Our lips never disconnected, moving hungrily, sloppily as I started to walk backward toward the hallway that led to the bedroom . . . only to stop short when the back of my leg banged into the leg of a side table.

"Fuck!" I muttered as the pain shot along my nerves.

I looked up to find Bella biting her lip, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Where were you planning on going anyway?"

I lifted my leg to rub at the sore spot, and then lifted an eyebrow to give her a pointed look. "I believe we need to go into the bedroom to finish what we started. We've got a bed to christen after all."

She grinned, winding both arms around my waist. "Isn't that a little cliché? Clichés are boring, Edward." Her chin jut up in defiance, her lips pursed together in challenge, which I gladly accepted.

Before she could realize my intention, I hoisted her up into my arms in one swift motion and then deposited her over my shoulder.

"Hey!" she protested, throwing in a slap on my behind for good measure.

I didn't bother to reply. Instead, I spun on my feet and walked back to the living room. I lowered her body a little before dropping her onto the couch. She was laughing, gasping, breathless as I settled myself on top of her.

"Boring?" I growled, tugging her bottom lip between my teeth.

"We'll see," she gasped and knotted her fingers into my hair, spurring me on.

Pulling away from her mouth, my lips traveled along the angle of her jaw, down the slope of her neck, my tongue swirling around the little hollow between her collarbones. She moaned, arching her back, allowing me to pull off her top before tugging on mine until it lay discarded on the floor. Her chest pressed flush against mine, our legs tangled together while my mouth explored every inch of her warm skin it could find. Soft hands roamed my body—clutching, caressing, holding—as I slowly rid her of the rest of her clothing.

Her breath came out in shallow gasps as I moved downward, dipping my tongue into her navel and down to the soft curls at the apex of her thighs. My hands grasped her hips, holding her steady, while my mouth moved over her flesh, savoring the heat between her legs.

She tasted of sweat and home, warmth and love . . . _she tasted of my Bella._

She writhed, thrashed, whimpered over me, rubbing her pelvis against my mouth. I didn't let go, suckling and kissing until she was moaning nothing but my name . . . until she fell to pieces, shuddering and gasping . . . until I couldn't wait to be inside her.

Her body lay splayed out beneath me as I hovered above her. Slender arms rose languidly to pull me close until our foreheads pressed together and her legs wrapped around my hips.

I settled myself against her warmth, holding her intent gaze before I slowly pushed my way inside. One hand threading in my hair, she crushed my mouth to hers as I began to move inside her.

Our bodies rocked together in a rhythm surreal in its familiarity, yet fascinating in the underlying discovery. Hands wandered over spots they knew and recognized, while finding others that made my breath catch and her heart thunder.

Warm lips and salty skin.

Soft fingers and garbled words.

Sharp breaths and sloppy kisses.

Our bodies lost themselves in each other—remembering and reacquainting—until we were falling together.

Stumbling.

Burning.

Crashing.

Resurfacing.

Once we'd caught our breaths, she curled up into my side, pressing her lips to the skin right above my pounding heart.

"Definitely not boring," she murmured with a gleam in her eyes that made me want to devour her over and over. But she thwarted that plan with her next words.

"Now will you tell me what Tanya was bugging you about?"

I groaned, my head falling back against the armrest. "It's nothing much, Bella. She has been pestering me about coming to the birthday party she's throwing for Adam. Everyone is going to be there, and they want to get to know you."

Bella straightened, placing her arm over my chest and looking straight into my eyes. "Everyone includes . . ." she trailed off inquiringly.

"Tanya, Jasper, and Alice," I explained. "I don't know how much Adam knows about us, but maybe Tanya has managed to get him curious, too. You know, I would've thought finding a boyfriend would get her off my back. Apparently not."

Bella snickered. "So you don't like this guy? Is that why you've been avoiding her request?"

"Not at all. I've only seen him in passing a couple of times, but he seems alright. I just . . ." My fingers drifted over her long hair. "You've been so upset every time we got back from the hearings. I knew if I'd asked you, you wouldn't have said no. I didn't want you to feel pressured into going out when you weren't in the right state of mind. With everything that's being going on—the trial, Seth, setting up your home—it didn't seem like the right time to celebrate."

She pursed her lips in consideration. "Hmm. Well, what exactly does the party entail?"

"Drinks and dancing, I suppose. Adam's brother owns a chain of nightclubs, so Tanya is making the most of one of them. She has invited all his friends, plus a few of hers . . . namely, us," I sighed. "But, like I said, we're not doing anything you don't want to, okay? I know how to handle her. If you want to spend a quiet evening in—" I propped myself up to kiss her lightly "—then I'm all for it."

She smiled. "As tempting as it is to stay here and keep you all to myself . . . I think we should go."

I eyed her speculatively. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. They're your friends. They've been a part of your life for so long. I-I want to meet them. I know my mood has been swinging up and down this past month, but . . . I don't know. Maybe it's this house." She drew in a slow, deep breath. "Or maybe the fact that we're past the worst part of the trial . . . rehashing that day in court. I just . . . I feel better today. And if your friends are out there celebrating something, we should join them and have a little celebration of our own."

Obviously, she'd given this a lot of thought in the two minutes since I'd mentioned it.

But either way, wherever my girl wanted to go, I was ready to follow.

"And what exactly are we celebrating?"

She inched across the gap between us, our foreheads touching as her lips ghosted over mine.

"My new home . . . And our new beginning."

* * *

 **A/N: They're finally** ** _there_** **.**

 **I know we kind of glossed over the first ILY's, but don't worry. We'll gain more insight into how that went down next time at the parrrrtyyyyy!**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **For exclusive pics and teasers – FB group – Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed (Link is on my profile)**

* * *

 **FIC REC - Calls for Christmas by MyEdward797 – Bella and Edward are a divorced couple. Tentative friends, they call each other every year on Christmas Eve and reminisce about the days when they were in love. Will they ever realize that they can't live without each other? A Christmas Short Story.**


	24. Chapter 23 : Welcoming the Future

**A/N: We've made it to the last chapter . . . Well, last** ** _regular_** **chapter. Still seems a little surreal to me!**

 **Big thanks to Pamela and Ninkita for their help and guidance throughout this journey.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 23**

 **WELCOMING THE FUTURE**

"You made it!" Tanya yelled, throwing her arms around Bella's neck, completely ignoring me.

Bella snickered over Tanya's shoulder. "Seems like someone has already started sampling the drinks."

Tanya pulled back, waving her hand from side to side. "Pssh. I'm just getting started." She turned her attention to me. "Welcome to the outside world, Agent Hermit."

I rolled my eyes, just as Alice and Jasper joined us, returning from the bar judging by the drinks in their hands.

"Hey, Boss." Jasper shot me a wide smile. "Glad you could make it."

Alice winked at me before saying hello to Bella. I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I'll go and get our drinks. You'll be okay for a few minutes?"

"Of course." Her lips pulled up into a small smile, and I couldn't resist capturing them in a soft kiss.

"I'll be right back."

I made my way to the bar, ordering a beer for myself and Bella's preferred spritzer. A small section of the counter and one of the bartenders had been assigned solely to our party, so it didn't take long to grab my order. On my way back, my eyes roamed across the dimly lit room, landing on Adam as he stood amidst a circle of his friends.

I nodded when he met my gaze, and he waved back, indicating that he'd join us in a moment. I headed back to our group and found the girls already engaged in a deep, animated discussion. I handed Bella her drink, which she accepted gratefully. Alice reclaimed her attention right away, murmuring a compliment about her dress. Jasper and I shared an amused look over our drinks, as they chattered away like they'd been friends for years.

It wasn't long before Adam made an appearance, slipping an arm around Tanya's shoulders. She took a moment to introduce him to Bella. We handed him his gift and spent a few moments chatting about the club and the party, but eventually, the conversation circled back to Bella and me.

"It's great to finally meet you. You know, officially," Alice told Bella while I polished off the last of my drink.

"I know!" Tanya joined in, throwing me a sour look. " _Someone_ has been hogging all your time. We haven't gotten a chance to get to know you at all."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Don't you think we should focus on the birthday boy this evening?"

Tanya snickered. "I don't think he's going to complain. He has gotten more than enough attention from me since midnight."

My eyes widened, and Bella nearly choked on her drink, but Adam was unfazed by Tanya's comment. He pulled her closer and grinned, pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek.

They really were perfect for each other.

"So tell us what happened," Alice insisted. "How did you two reconnect?"

My eyes met Bella's for a moment. I raised an eyebrow, letting her take the lead. We'd already decided upon a backstory that was based in the truth, and also fit in with what Alice and Jasper knew about us—that we'd known each other in college, but had lost touch and only found each other again through the case. Bella launched into the tale as we'd discussed, glossing over our initial shock before moving on to describe the way we'd rebuilt our relationship.

My thoughts drifted over to our first date . . . well, our second _first_ _date_ , the day after Masen's birthday dinner. I'd toyed with the idea of recreating our original first date, but then discarded it completely. It was an evening that'd been perfect in its own way. I didn't see the need to take anything away from it or replace those memories with new ones.

Instead, we'd dined at an Indian restaurant. It was something we'd wanted to do back in college, but somehow had never managed to get around to it. Bella's eyes had lit up in recognition in a way that'd made my heart swell. The hours had passed in a blur of conversation and delicious food, covert glances and interlocked fingers, ending on a promising note where I'd tasted the lingering sweetness of our dessert on Bella's lips.

That evening had been followed by several similar ones, but once the trial had begun, we'd preferred to spend time at my apartment. Trying out new recipes ended with making messes on the kitchen counter as we cooked together, movies were rented but often remained forgotten when we just couldn't stop talking long enough to focus on them.

Getting to know each other and learning to trust each other all over again had been far more effortless than I'd imagined. Every facet I'd discovered only made me fall harder for the woman she'd become. Still, I'd found myself observing her closely, trying to gauge the feelings that remained hidden within her bottomless eyes. Her smiles and sighs as she'd snuggled closer to me sent sparks of hope buzzing along my nerves, but a part of me was afraid of that very hope—hesitant to surrender myself fully, given the obstacles we'd had to overcome in the past.

The turning point, I believe, had come a little over a week ago. It had been Charlie's death anniversary, and Bella and I had both taken the day off work to visit his grave. I'd sat beside her silently, holding her hand, offering her support, while she'd traced his name on the headstone over and over. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she'd told him about Jacob, Billy, and Rebecca. She'd talked about the trial and about Seth.

My fingers had brushed the dampness off her face, and she'd given me a tremulous smile. Her voice had grown lighter, more hopeful as she told her father about us. And once she was done, she'd squeezed my hand, looked straight into my eyes, and whispered the words I'd longed to hear.

"I love you."

Her declaration was as simple as it'd been the first time I'd said those words to her six years ago—no preamble, no grand gesture—and just as monumental. It was in that moment that I'd finally allowed myself to let go of the past, the guilt, the regrets, and welcome the future where I knew she'd always be at my side.

"I love you, too, Bella," I'd whispered, cupping her cheeks, and pressing my lips to hers, breathing her in and giving up all of myself in return.

"That sounds so romantic," Alice gushed, bringing me back to the present.

Bella looked up at me, her eyes shimmering with joy that resonated deep inside me.

Satisfied with that much for the moment, Tanya and Adam stepped away to mingle with the rest of their guests.

Now that everyone had thoroughly prodded into our lives, Bella returned the favor, inquiring about how Alice and Jasper had ended up falling for each other.

"It was my first day on the job," Jasper recalled with a fond smile. "A little over a year ago. We were working to catch a serial killer. Alice was the ME assigned to the case, and I pissed her off by messing up one of the evidence bags from the crime scene."

Bella's eyes went wide. "That doesn't sound good."

Alice let out a tinkling laugh. "I chewed him out, and he fell for me. My little masochist," she cooed, and Jasper groaned.

"It wasn't like that," he insisted. "I made a mistake while collecting a particular sample, so Alice made me work all night to repair the damage. But the thing that knocked me off my feet was that she was right there with me, working her ass off to correct my error and make sure that the killer didn't slip away." He turned to his wife, who was staring back at him with a small, secretive smile dancing on her lips. "I come from a family of law enforcement agents, so believe me, I know what passion for justice looks like. But I'd never come across someone like her—someone who had just as much perseverance and the intellect to make it happen."

For a moment, they seemed to lose sense of time and space, gazing at each other intently. They weren't even touching each other, yet there was an air of intimacy in the gesture that made me look away. Bella seemed to feel the same, and our eyes met in amusement.

"A very interesting beginning," Bella remarked, once Alice and Jasper pulled themselves out of their bubble. Jasper raised their interlaced fingers to his mouth to drop a kiss on her knuckles.

"We got married three months ago," he told Bella. "It might seem quick, but . . . trust me, she made me work for it."

Bella smiled and shook her head. "I don't believe there're any time limits in relationships. When you know, you know."

"Exactly," Alice approved, before turning to me. "You've got a keeper here, Agent Cullen."

"I know." I smirked, pulling Bella closer. "And I plan to hold on to her."

The evening went by smoothly, and despite the noisy environment, it was amongst the most enjoyable ones I'd spent recently. Bella had gotten it right—we could finally put the looming shadow of the trial behind us and begin to look forward without having to dwell on the past.

Adam and Tanya joined us again, along with some of his friends. Most of them had known him since college, so they had several stories from the past that made Adam cringe today, but he accepted all the ribbing in good humor. A particular skinny dipping incident in the dead of winter after a lost bet reminded me of a friend I hadn't thought of for quite a while.

"My roommate, Garrett attempted that once with his girlfriend in the fountain in the quad," I shared without second thought. "She wanted to get adventurous, he wanted to get frisky. From what he told me, they ended up jumping out and streaking across the campus, shivering to their bones after spending less than two minutes in the water."

"Oh, right," Bella recalled with a giggle. "I'd forgotten about that. We were watching from your apartment. God, that was a fun night!"

Adam and his friends laughed with us, but mine just gaped at me in shock.

"What?" I asked, a little peeved.

"It's just hard to believe. I can barely picture you in that scenario," Tanya explained, while Alice and Jasper nodded their confirmation. "This incident sounds hilarious, and I've never known you to be . . . well, fun."

"She's right, Boss," Jasper chimed in. "Dragging you out for anything other than work is like pulling one's hair out. The only side of you that we've seen is . . . a tad dull. No offense."

I rolled my eyes, but Bella couldn't help speaking up in my defense.

"He has always been fun," she announced. "You just don't know it. I bet he never told you about the time he threw me a surprise birthday party and sang a song for me. It was an evening I'll never forget, and Edward did it all single-handedly."

Alice grinned at her. "Then maybe it's you who brings it out in him, Bella. Now that you're here, maybe we'll get a chance to see a new and improved Edward Cullen with our own eyes."

Bella hummed thoughtfully and looked up at me. The resolve behind her steadfast gaze sparked curiosity inside me.

"Why wait? Let's show them how it's done," she told me.

She held her hand out in front of me, a smirk tugging at her lips. It grew wider when I took her hand and started to follow her toward the glass doors, beyond which lay the dance floor.

As soon as she pushed the door open, the loud music blasting from the speakers assaulted my senses. Still, I barely registered it as Bella pulled me through the throngs of people. Turning to look over her shoulder, her eyes smoldered as they locked with mine. Her lips, painted a rich shade of burgundy to match her dress, parted slightly before she trapped the lower one between her teeth.

She was a siren, and I was helpless to do anything but follow.

Once we'd reached a relatively vacant spot, she spun around to face me and looped her arms around my neck. My fingers wound around her waist, interlocking at the small of her back as she stepped closer.

The beats of music pulsed around us, heavy and demanding, words of the song all but lost in their wake. Bella's eyes blazed with a fire just as intense as she started to roll her hips into mine in tandem with the rhythm. I held her close and followed her movements.

My hands trailed up the silky fabric of her dress until they encountered the bare skin of her back. She shivered as my fingertips danced along the curve of her spine. Her arms tightened their hold on me, pulling my mouth down to meet hers in a slow yet forceful kiss that knocked the breath out of me.

One song morphed into another, but I hardly noticed as Bella continued to slither and sway in my arms. Her chest pressed against mine, her fingers tugging at my hair, and her swiveling hips sent jolts of desire spiraling along my nerves.

She gasped when I spun her around and pulled her back flush against me, letting her feel the evidence of what she was doing to me. Leaning down, my lips ghosted up the column of her throat, tasting the salty smoothness of her skin along the way.

"If we stay out here for much longer, Bella, my colleagues will end up witnessing far more than you've imagined sharing with them," I murmured against the shell of her ear. Goosebumps erupted on her skin, as I tightened my arms around her waist.

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to forget why that's supposed to be a bad thing," she breathed back, making me snicker.

I pressed my lips to her cheek and pulled back a little. "Why don't we cool ourselves off with some drinks before we give everyone here a floor show, hmm?"

"Sounds like a good plan," she agreed just as the song ended.

I dropped my arms and took a step away, turning my back on her. The soft pressure of her hand on my ass made me whirl around in shock. Bella's eyes danced, while I gawked at her, astounded. "The floor show is for my eyes only," she murmured huskily, winking, and giving me another squeeze before I sauntering away.

I shook my head, resisting the urge to grin like an utter loon as I returned to our group. Bella shot me a smug glance when we encountered their bewildered and awed expressions. I couldn't resist taking a bow, which made everyone thaw and laugh.

My throat was parched, so I gestured to Bella about getting another drink, and asked her what she'd like.

She pursed her lips. "I'm feeling adventurous . . . craving something new. Let me come with you."

After the bartender had rattled off the various options, she settled upon a cocktail called _Income Tax_. I watched, amused as she took a sip. With her eyes closed, she shivered as the liquid flowed down her throat. A moment later, she met my gaze and smacked her lips.

"Nice," she approved, making me chuckle.

I wrapped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. We turned around and suddenly found ourselves jostled. Bella's drink splashed onto my shirt as she lost her balance and leaned into me. I steadied her before meeting the gaze of the man who'd barged right into us.

"I'm so—" he started to say, but stopped short when he realized who we were.

Beside me, Bella froze, and I rubbed her arm in comfort, while glaring at the jerk standing in front of us.

"Bella," he whispered. The sound was lost in the music, but the mere movement of his lips as he uttered her name pissed me off. He blinked rapidly, and I registered the genuine surprise on his face. He hadn't planned to ambush us. It was the only thing that stopped me from shoving him aside.

"Jacob," Bella muttered. I glanced at her, knowing that if I found any hint of discomfort, I'd be getting us both out of here within the next minute. I found her face devoid of anything but disbelief, so I reined myself in. "Excuse me." Bella tried to step around him, but he reached out to stop her.

I grabbed his hand before he could touch her, dropping it back to his side. He looked at me and took a deliberate step back in surrender.

"Bella, I . . . Wha-what are you . . ." he stammered, raising his voice to make it audible over the music. "Look, I . . . Can I please talk to you for a moment? Please, Bella."

"I have nothing to say to you, Jacob."

"Please," he insisted. "Just for a minute. I won't keep you long."

Bella considered it for a moment before giving him one sharp nod. Jacob let out a relieved breath and pointed toward a quieter corner that seemed to lead to the back exit. Bella motioned for him to go on, and then turned to me.

"I'm coming with you," I told her.

"Edwar—"

"Don't make me stay away, Bella." I tried to sound firm, but the words came out sounding more frantic that I'd intended. "I don't trust him. Please don't ask me to because I can't do it."

"I wasn't going to argue," she replied softly. "I need you there. I don't trust him either."

I nodded, trying to appear composed while inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. We made our way to the dimly-lit hallway where Jacob was waiting for us.

There was nothing but silence for a few long seconds. I glared at him, while he fidgeted, looking anywhere but at the two of us. I was ready to tell him to go fuck himself if he couldn't find the words he'd intended to spew, when Bella cleared her throat.

"How did Seth's play go?" she prodded.

Jacob's head snapped up, his eyes wide as though he was shocked she'd initiated the conversation.

"It went well," he replied quickly, bobbing his head for good measure. "Very well, actually. The girl who was playing his best friend started to cry in the middle when she forgot her lines, but Seth broke character and quickly whispered something in her ear that made her remember. She even kissed him on his cheek in thanks afterward. He's been acting like a happy little goof ever since."

"That's wonderful. I knew he'd do a great job up there." A smile flitted across Bella's face.

"I made sure to get it all on video. You can . . . I'll be happy to share it with you," he offered.

"I'd like that." She waited, but a few beats passed without another word from him, and Bella lost her patience. Her smile fell away, her features shifting into a serious mask as she continued, "You said you had something to tell me, Jacob."

He blew out a breath. "Yeah, I-I . . . Bella, I'm sorry for what I did to you." He paused, then opened his mouth, as if to say something, but closed it again without offering anything other than that pathetic excuse for an apology.

"I don't know what you expect me to say," Bella replied quietly but assertively. "I can't tell you that what you did to me was okay. I can't forgive you for ruining all those months of my life with your selfishness and your greed." Her hand tightened around mine, and I squeezed back. "The only reason I haven't taken any sort of legal action against you is Seth. That little boy has lost far too much in his life. I can't bear to take away another member of his family."

"Thank you," he murmured. His gaze briefly flickered toward our joined hands before returning to Bella. "I know you probably won't ever forgive me. I know what I did was terribly wrong. Embry . . . is making me see that. He doesn't trust me anymore, and I-I'm working on earning it back. I came here to see him, actually, and then ran into you . . ." He shook his head and grimaced. "Nevermind. All I'm trying to say is that whether you believe me or not, whether you accept my apology or not, I want you to know that I am truly very sorry for what I did. You were my best friend, and I used . . . I'm sorry. I will always be sorry for hurting you . . ." He swallowed thickly. "But at the same time, I don't completely regret what I did."

Bella sucked in a sharp breath, while I struggled to hold back a derisive snort. The steady pressure of her hand in mine grounded me despite the storm brewing in my mind.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" The venom in her voice made Jacob wince.

"You think I did all this just for the money," he rasped. "But that's not entirely true, Bella. All my life, I've struggled to gain and uphold my father's approval. I couldn't bear to think of losing it while I had so little time left with him. He would've . . . he would've hated me if I'd told him the truth. He would've been miserable in his final days. Didn't he deserve to be happy before he . . . before he . . ." He pushed a hand through his hair, gripping the greasy black strands tight between his fingers. "I just wanted to make him happy, Bella. I wanted us all to be happy. Didn't he deserve that?"

A long moment passed in silence. The tension lingering in the air escalated until it was almost a corporeal entity. I grasped Bella's hand firmly when I felt her begin to step away from me. She met my gaze steadily, nodding once in reassurance. Still hesitant, but unable to refuse her, my fingers loosened. I didn't let go of her completely . . . just enough that she could take two steps forward and stand right in front of Jacob.

She stared him down for a moment. My position gave me no clue as to the look on her face. I wanted to step forward with her, reinforce to the asshole before us that she was no longer alone. But I could sense that this was something she needed to do on her own. The set of her shoulders and the way she held her head high made it clear that she was more than capable of handling this.

She pulled in a quick breath and looked right into his eyes as she delivered a parting blow to the man who'd made her life hell.

"Nobody deserves to be deceived by their loved ones."

The words seemed to echo and linger in the silence that followed, as Jacob's face crumpled into a mask of pain.

Bella laced her fingers with mine as we stepped around him and started to make our way back. Some part of me yearned to turn back and satisfy myself with one more peek at the broken shell of the man we'd left behind.

But Bella continued to walk away, focusing solely on what lay ahead of us instead of behind, and I followed her example.

Jacob Black didn't deserve another second of our attention.

"Where have you been?" Alice asked as we returned. "Bella, come dance with me. My husband is being boring."

"I just said you've had a little too much to drink to be able to move your feet with the beat," Jasper replied, sounding amused.

Alice waved him off. "Pssh! We're celebrating."

"Damn right we are," Bella approved. "In fact, I think I need to catch up." She tipped the glass she was still holding to her lips, downing the drink in one huge gulp. She shuddered and winced, before dropping my hand and taking Alice's instead. "Let's go and make fools of ourselves."

I stepped aside to let them pass, and they giggled their way to the dance floor.

I leaned against a wall, crossing my arms over my chest, grinning as they found a suitable spot and started to dance in time with the music.

"Well, if that's the plan," Jasper muttered and downed his shot in one go before rushing to join them.

"Hey, man." Adam appeared behind me, clapping a hand over my shoulder, while Tanya hung onto the other one. "Having a good time?"

I smiled. "Absolutely. Job well done, Hostess Tanya."

She grinned back proudly.

"Babe, Eric and Jenny wanted to leave, so let me just see them off, and then I'm all yours," he told Tanya.

She leaned in to kiss him, humming contentedly. "I haven't had enough of your dance moves, mister. You better hurry back," she ordered, her words slurring slightly.

"Yes, dear." He met my eyes in amusement. "Take care of my girl for a minute, yeah? I'll be right back."

"Of course."

He passed Tanya on to me, and she clutched my hand tightly.

"Edward!" she sang, and I chuckled.

"Yes, Tanya?"

"My boyfriend is dreamy, isn't he?" she sighed happily.

"Uh-huh."

"Can I tell you a secret?" she whispered, or tried to.

"Of course."

"I think I could really fall for him." Tanya's eyes were wide with wonder. "Like, for _real_. I think I can have it with him. Like Bella and you."

"He seems like a good guy. I'm glad you found him."

"Hmmmmmmm," she agreed. "Life's pretty good, isn't it?"

Adam returned before I could reply, giving me a grateful smile before drawing Tanya back into his arms.

My eyes travelled to the dance floor, immediately finding Bella. She was already staring at me, her lips curling upward in a slow, sultry smile as she realized she had my attention. Swirling her hips a little more provocatively, she held out a hand and crooked her finger in my direction, beckoning me.

As I walked across the room, paying no heed to anyone except the invisible, yet invincible force that seemed to pull me toward my girl, I had to disagree with Tanya.

Life wasn't just _good_.

It was fucking _perfect_.

* * *

 **A/N: I loved this ending and the 'full circle' feeling it gives so much when I first wrote it that I was hesitant to include an epilogue. But there was one particular character I wasn't ready to say goodbye to just yet, and luckily, you guys seemed to like her, too. So there** ** _will_** **be an epilogue to come.**

 **It's already written, so if I can edit it in a day or two, it'll be up here before the end of this week.**

 **There are pics of the entire cast from this chapter in their respective attires—including some questionable manips by yours truly—in my FB group, Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. Link is on my profile, so come join us!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Artful Maneuvers by planetblue –** I needed to figure out who Edward Cullen was before he figured out me.

 ***** I know it's highly unlikely that you haven't read this gem of a story, but I recently re-read it and fell in love with it all over again, so I had to give it a shout-out! If you're one of the few who've missed out on this one . . . you're welcome ;) *****


	25. Epilogue : Asking for More

**A/N: Welcome to the beginning of the end . . .**

 **Okay, that sounded far better in my head. Not so much on the screen.**

 **Moving on.**

 **One final note of thanks to Pamela Lorraine for holding my hand throughout this adventure with her boundless exclamation points and heart emoticons that encouraged me to keep going, and to Ninkita for her willingness to look over the littlest of things and making sure my words sound right from the first chapter to the last.**

 **To Diane, aka OTB, thank you for that amazing banner! I swear, every time you create something, I want to write story after story just to be able to request another one of your gems.**

* * *

 **DISCLAIMER –** One last time . . . You already know I don't own Twilight. My research is heavily dependent on Google and TV shows. I'll try to make everything as realistic as possible, but I might exercise creative license at some point. Cope, okay?

 **PS: Thank you for coping!**

* * *

 **EPILOGUE ~ ASKING FOR MORE  
**

I scrubbed my hand over my face, clenching my fatigued eyes shut to ease the stinging. I hadn't slept a wink all night, having rushed here right after dinner. Sunshine had just started to stream through the windows, announcing the arrival of a new day, but it gave me no comfort, and I knew there would be none until the doctors confirmed that she was doing okay. I buried my face in my palms and sighed, my leg bouncing up and down in agitation.

I vaguely registered the sound of soft footsteps approaching me, but paid them no mind until I felt someone take a seat next to me. A palm landed on my back, rubbing slow, comforting arcs, and the familiar touch made me sigh again.

I raised my head to meet her eyes. Red-rimmed and glistening, they made my chest constrict with fear. But then her lips curved up into a smile, and I allowed myself to hope for good news.

"She'll be okay," Bella assured me quietly. "The doctors are still inside because they want to observe her for a few minutes, but they sent a nurse out to give us the news. She's out of danger, Edward. She's going to be fine."

All the breath left my lungs in a whoosh, and I sagged in my seat. Sensing what I needed, Bella scooted closer and wound her arms around my waist, resting her head against my shoulder. We stayed like that for a while, holding each other together, until I looked up and saw Ma approaching us.

Bella attempted to shift, and I let her—but only slightly. I kept my arm around her shoulder, needing to feel her beside me to hold onto my composure. Ma allowed herself a smile at the sight of us, and it felt good to see it light up her face after the hours we'd all spent battling dread and despair.

A few beats passed in silence. There was nothing but quiet conversation, the hum of a passing stretcher, the beeping of monitors—a din so typical of a hospital—that surrounded us. For hours, the same sounds had kept me on edge, but now that we could see the light at the end of the tunnel, they didn't seem as suffocating or foreboding.

The distinct sound of rapid footsteps clanking their way down the hallway reached my ears, and I craned my neck curiously. It was Tanya barreling toward us, Adam following close behind.

"I'm so sorry," she explained hurriedly. "I forgot to plug in my phone, and the battery died sometime last night. I only saw your messages once I woke up. I'm sorry, Edward."

"It's okay. I didn't expect you to come over, Tan. I just wanted to let you know what'd happened."

She sat down with a scowl. "What do you mean? Of course I was going to come. How could you thi—" She looked like she was about to launch into a diatribe, but Adam placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a calming squeeze.

"I think you can take Edward to task later, babe." He smiled at her before turning to me. "Do we have any news? How is she doing?"

"The nurse informed us that she's out of danger. But we'll know more soon."

"I called McCarty and let him know about the situation," Tanya told me after a moment, sounding calmer. I shot her a grateful smile. "He asked me to pass along his regards because he didn't want to disturb you by calling."

"How did this happen?" Adam inquired gently.

Bella's placed her hand in mine, holding it tightly, and I interlaced our fingers.

"I had dinner with her last night," I explained. "She was fine while we ate—her usual cheerful, chatty self. She was talking about the next trip her group was planning as she went into the kitchen to get something. Then suddenly, she fell silent." I cleared my throat against the lump lodged there. "I didn't think . . . I waited for a minute or so. She didn't respond when I called out, so I went in and saw . . . She had fallen out of her chair, and she was . . . so still." My free hand wove through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. "Maybe I missed the signs . . . it couldn't have happened so suddenly."

"Don't go there, Edward," Bella admonished in a whisper. She reached up to pull my hand away, bringing it to her lips. "You saved her. You got her here in time. You didn't do anything wrong."

I looked at her, sighing through a smile, half-hearted though it was.

"Bella's right," Dad announced as he joined us. His brow was smooth, the furrows from last night having disappeared. Dr. Snow was just a few steps behind him. His face, too, was relaxed, and as soon as he started to speak, all of us breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"She's doing fine. I'd like to keep her here for a couple of days, to be on the safe side, but I don't foresee any problems in the near future . . . _if_ she heeds my advice." He turned to face my mother. "She really needs to take it easy. No more travelling to distant lands all on her own. Her heart isn't strong enough to bear the stress."

"I understand, Doctor," she answered. "We'll talk to her about it. When can we see her?"

"She's being shifted to the room as we speak. She'll be a little groggy for a while, but you can go see her. Preferably no more than a couple of you at a time."

"Thank you so much." Dad shook his hand, and Dr. Snow rattled off the room number, pointing us in the right direction before taking his leave.

My parents headed there immediately, while the rest of us followed at a slower pace. Bella's hand remained in mine, squeezing gently from time to time, soothing me like no one else could.

We stood outside the room, looking in through the glass. Ma reached out to take Nana's hand in hers, her movements so gentle and slow as though she were afraid of breaking her. And even from the distance, I could understand the feeling—my brave, adventurous, stubborn Nana didn't seem anything like herself in that room. Hooked up to machines and IVs, the bed appeared to swallow her petite frame, as it lay still save for the gentle rise and fall of her chest. My eyes stung when I saw my mother tremble through her sobs. Dad wrapped a strong arm around her waist, and she curled into his side. I looked away, drawing Bella closer to my side and leaning down to bury my face in her hair.

It was a few minutes later that they stepped out of the room. Tanya reached out to pull Ma into a hug, while Bella and I started to make our way inside.

"Shoot!" Bella muttered suddenly, pulling her phone out of her jeans pocket. The screen lit up with her colleague's name as it vibrated in her palm. "She's probably returning my call from last night. I'd left a message about postponing our meeting."

"Take it," I told her. "I'll wait for you inside."

She looked uncertain. "Are you sure?"

I mustered a smile to reassure her. "I'll be okay for a few minutes, Bella. Finish your call, then come over."

"Okay." Rising on her toes, she pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth before striding down the hall.

I sucked in a long, slow breath before pushing the door open. My footsteps echoed unnaturally loud in the room as I walked to the side of the bed, folding myself into the plastic chair set next to it.

I placed my hand over her arm, finding comfort in the warmth of her skin. Spots and wrinkles marred it in places, reflecting her advancing age in a way Nana never allowed her spirit to show.

For several minutes, I sat there quietly, listening to the beeping that monitored her heartbeat, watching her face for any signs of consciousness. I'd almost given up hope of her waking up soon, when I noticed her eyeballs move underneath the lids. Her withered cheek twitched, grey eyelashes fluttering at the same time as her arm moved almost imperceptibly under my palm.

"Nana," I murmured thickly, and her eyelids squeezed shut before they slowly stretched open.

"Ed-Edward," she rasped, and I couldn't stop the smile that broke out on my face.

"I'm here, Nana," I comforted her as she blinked. Her gaze swung around the room in confusion and then landed on me. "I'm right here. You're in the hospital. But everything's fine. The doctors did what they needed to do, and you're going to be just fine."

"I don't . . . I don't remember anything. We had dinner . . ." she trailed off.

"Yes. You collapsed after that. I called 911, and they brought us here. Everybody else got here as soon as possible."

She sighed, or rather, huffed. "I'm sorry for the trouble." A chuckle burst through my mouth at the petulance in her voice.

"Don't even . . . We're just so glad you're okay. Ma was in here with Dad just a little while ago, but you were still asleep from the sedation." I looked up and didn't find anyone outside the room, so I assumed they'd retreated to the waiting area. "Let me go cal—"

"No, wait," Nana interrupted anxiously. "Just . . . Just stay here with me for a while. Just a few minutes."

"Of course," I murmured. I took hold of her hand in mine—the one that was free of needles—and pressed my lips to the back of it. It brought a smile to her drawn face.

"You scared us, Nana," I whispered thickly. "You really scared us."

She twisted her palm, making me let go, and then raised it to pat my cheek. "Silly boy," she replied, her voice cracking slightly. "I'm not going anywhere. Well, not just yet. I've got some unfinished business to attend to, after all." She attempted to lift her head, wincing at the effort, but continued to do so nonetheless.

I jumped up to my feet, and gently took hold of her shoulders to lay her back down. "You have got to stop this," I told her as quietly as I could, keeping the admonishing tone out of my voice, knowing that it'd only make her hackles rise. "Tell me what you need. I'll get it for you."

She narrowed her eyes, but the effect she was going for was ruined by her breathing which had grown heavier with the exertion. "I'm not an invalid."

"No, you're not," I agreed. "You just have to learn to take it easy sometimes. A little rest doesn't make you weak, Nana, especially while you're in the hospital."

"Fine," she grumbled. "I thought I saw my handbag in the corner."

"Yeah, it's right here." I grabbed it quickly and handed it to her. "I remembered how you always keep your meds in there, and I thought the doctors might need to see them. So I made sure to grab it before we left your house."

"Good," she approved, digging around until she found what she was looking for. "That allows me to complete at least one of those unfinished tasks."

My eyes fell on what she held in her palm, before snapping up to her face in shock. She wore a small smirk and held out the small, black box toward me.

"Well?" she prompted. "Take it. This was why you came to see me last night, right?"

I could only gape at her. "How did you know?"

"I have my ways. Your fidgeting hands, the distraction in your eyes, and the way you nearly jumped every time I mentioned Bella's name. Plus, the fact that you came over alone specifically on the day she had professional commitments instead of our usual weekend visits, clued me in to your intentions."

I narrowed my eyes in amusement, taking the box from her. "Have you thought about joining the force? You could probably close a few cases for us, Sherlock."

She tittered. "Oh, Edward. She really has changed you, hasn't she? I can't tell you how it warms my heart to see you like this. The past year has been wonderful, hasn't it?"

"More so than I could ever imagine," I murmured honestly.

"You're ready for this." Her voice was warm, certain. "And that's exactly why you can be sure I'm going to hang around for a while, yeah? After all, how can I bid this life goodbye before watching the expression on your face when she says yes?"

I'd been toying with the idea of asking Bella to marry me for the past one month—gathering courage, suppressing doubts, coming up with the perfect idea for the how and when and then discarding each one for not being perfect enough. But somehow, when I heard Nana say the words, the idea became more real that it'd ever been when it was just in my head.

I swallowed, a sudden bout of anxiety twisting my gut into a ball, and Nana sighed loudly.

"Oh boy! I've awoken the beast, haven't I? Edward, don't be nervous. You have nothing to worry about. She'll sa—"

Before she could finish, there was a knock on the door, and Bella poked her head in. "May I join you?"

I was too far gone to be able to utter words, so Nana took over for me.

"Of course, dear. Come on in."

I stood and gestured for Bella to take the seat as they talked, which was actually just an excuse to step away because I took a moment to compose myself. I rubbed my suddenly-clammy palms over my jeans and drew in a deep breath or two, trying to put the ideas of facing Bella's rejection out of my head.

 _She'll say yes,_ I chanted in my head, willing myself to believe it.

When I returned to the conversation, Nana was sharing details about the cruise her friends had planned for the summer, the same one she had eagerly informed me about last night.

But things had changed significantly since then, and I could see it on her face that she knew it.

"Tha-That sounds good," Bella told her hesitantly, and Nana picked up on it.

"I know," she replied, releasing a weary breath. "You don't need to tiptoe around it, Bella. I know I probably won't be joining them. I've tried hard to keep my age at bay . . . but it was bound to catch up with me at some point."

Her gaze flickered downward, her face crestfallen. Bella looked at me in entreaty, but I had no clue how to make it better.

I stepped forward, placing my hands on Bella's shoulders.

"It's okay, Nana. We'll have plenty of fun right here, I promise you. Plus, remember what you told me about Mrs. Stevens rethinking her decision after she almost fell down last week? You're not alone in this." She gave me a wistful smile, so I teased, "What? Are you telling me that you don't have any stories to share about someone you used to know? No one else battling the same issues and still enjoying their life?"

"Don't get fresh with me, Edward Anthony," she ordered, but the twinkle had returned to her eyes, giving away her amusement. "But now that you've brought it up, let me share a secret with you two." She brought her hand up to waggle a finger at us. "Remember, _secret_. Don't you dare reveal it to anyone else."

Bella peeked up at me, biting her lip to stifle a smile. "Promise," we agreed together.

Nana cleared her throat. "I made them up."

There was silence for a full minute after she said that. Bella and I exchanged a puzzled glance, then turned back to Nana, who seemed to be blushing. It was a relief to see her sallow skin suffused with color, but on the other hand, we needed more explanation on what exactly had brought it on.

"I'm sorry," Bella ventured tentatively. "I don't quite understand what you mean, Nana."

"Those people, those situations . . . I made them up," Nana repeated without meeting our eyes. "Well, not all of them. Sometimes, the people were real, while the problems came out of my imagination, or vice versa. But it wasn't all true."

"You've been saying things like that since I was a kid," I spluttered.

Nana pursed her lips and met my gaze. "Yes. I've been lying. . . sometimes. But there's a reason." She blinked. "People don't really pay attention to unsolicited advice, you know, even if it would benefit them. My children most certainly didn't, and your mother was the worst. So I came up with this method. When a person is in trouble or feeling glum, it's a comfort to hear of someone else who had been through the same, especially when it's accompanied by that same advice they didn't want earlier, now presented as a tried and tested solution."

"That's . . . That's very wise of you," Bella replied, and I nodded along, not knowing what else to say.

"I just didn't want to die without getting that off my chest," Nana announced. "But I also don't want Esme to know. So I told you kids, and I expect that you won't go babbling about it to my daughter."

"You got it," I assured her.

"Now get going you two. You've done enough fussing over me," she insisted, burrowing deeper under the blanket. "Send Esme and Carlisle in to get their share of hugs before I return to my beauty sleep. I guess I better get used to needing more and more rest, huh?" she groused.

I leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Don't be mad. Maybe . . . maybe we could still go on the trip, if you want."

Her eyes widened. "We?"

I smiled, shrugging. I looked at Bella, and she grinned back in encouragement.

"The doctor did say he didn't want you to go out there alone, but what if we took a family vacation instead? We could go by air, avoid the long travel, and with Dad coming along, we'd have a doctor on board. You'll just have to suffer through our company instead of your gals, though."

"I think I can manage that," Nana murmured, her cheeks pinkened with joy.

"Don't get too excited, okay? We're not doing anything without Dr. Snow's prior permission and thorough consultation. We have a few months to go until we need to make a decision."

"I can live with that."

We bid her goodbye, and she wore a contented smile as she waved back.

It was a week later that Nana was discharged from the hospital. Her birthday had gone by a while she was still there a couple of days ago, and she'd decided to celebrate that, as well as her freedom with a family get-together.

I pursed my lips, peering at my reflection in the mirror. I'd been fidgeting with the knot of my tie for a while now, but it just didn't want to cooperate, ending up crooked on one side first, then the other. After another minute of futile effort, I removed the damn thing and tossed it on the bed.

"What's with the carnage?"

I spun around at the sound of Bella's voice. She made her way over to me, cocking an eyebrow in amusement.

"Nothing," I muttered distractedly, my eyes raking over her body.

The shimmering black dress she'd chosen for tonight wrapped snugly around her slender frame, the hem reaching down to a few inches above her knees. The straps went around her shoulders, merging at the nape of her neck, leaving the smooth porcelain of her back bare. She'd twisted her hair into a ponytail that fell over her left shoulder, while her ears sparkled with the earrings I'd gifted to her on her birthday last month.

My gaze travelled down the belt clinching her waist, dipping lower to linger on her toned legs, snapping up to her face only when she cleared her throat. Her lips pulled up into a smirk, but other than that, she ignored my gawking.

"Didn't Nana say she was not going to tolerate any half-assed effort?" she teased, flicking her eyes toward my discarded tie. I rolled my eyes, but picked it up and held it out toward her.

"A little help?" I requested.

She giggled before making her way over to me. I bent my knees, and she placed the tie around my neck, her fingers working quickly and efficiently to create the perfect knot that'd eluded me. Once satisfied, she smiled up at me as I drew her closer.

"Perfect," she remarked, patting my chest. I grinned back, inwardly thanking God that I hadn't placed the ring box in my breast pocket.

"You look beautiful," I murmured.

My fingers grazed the soft skin at the small of her back, tracing patterns, chasing goosebumps. Her eyes—wide, alluring, rich pools of chocolate—shone with contentment as they held mine. Her lips were painted a soft, shimmering shade of pink—same as the blush blooming on her cheeks—and I couldn't resist leaning down to capture them.

She pulled herself up on her toes, meeting me halfway, our mouths coming together in a deep kiss. It started slow—lips gliding smoothly, tongues stroking languidly—but pretty soon, _slow_ wasn't enough. Our breaths mingled, quickening in pace with the raw passion surging between us. Her fingers knotted in my hair as our lips mashed together, merging sloppily, hungrily through our gasps.

She whimpered into my mouth, the sound sending desire rippling along my skin. My hands tightened their grasp on her waist, and she pressed herself closer to me. The length of her body flush against my own, her hips swiveling too close to mine sent a sudden jab of pain into my thigh.

I pulled away from her mouth, recalling the little box I'd nearly forgotten until it dug into my skin. Bella's lips latched onto my neck, sucking on the flesh, while her thigh pressed insistently against mine.

I knew I had all of two seconds to stop this before it got out of hand . . . before she decided to investigate exactly what was digging into her skin and crushed all my plans for the evening.

"Bella," I groaned, summoning all my strength to make myself pull back instead of giving in to the urge of lifting her into my arms and leading us to the bed to finish what we'd started.

She didn't make matters easier, humming along my skin in response, making me shiver. She grinded herself against me again, reminding me again of why we needed to stop.

"Bella, we need to stop," I tried again. My voice was weak, but the words made her pause. She leaned back to meet my eyes.

"Stop?" she asked, almost incredulous.

I gulped, discreetly shifting my legs a little further away from hers. "Yeah," I croaked. "Everyone's expecting us at seven." I cleared my throat. "Like you said, Nana won't be pleased with a half-assed effort."

She stared at me through narrowed, suspicious eyes, pursing her lips which were now almost devoid of the gloss. I brought my hand up to my mouth, encountering the sticky substance there, which made me grimace. It distracted Bella, and she suppressed a grin at my expense.

"Fine." She stepped back, lifting her hand to my hair in amusement. "You might want to do something about that while I go fix my make-up."

"Yes, ma'am."

She made her way into the bathroom, while I turned back to the mirror. In a matter of a few minutes, she'd managed to fuck up every strand of my hair into a riotous mess I knew I wouldn't be able to tame. Still, I raked a hand through it a few times, trying my best. It wasn't long before my hand drifted almost reflexively to my pocket. My fingers curled around the box, ghosting over the velvety surface, as my lips curled up at the thought of presenting it to Bella.

In the past week, I'd tried to get used to the idea, or at least prepare myself for the moment when I'd lay my heart on the line before the woman I loved. We'd been together for a year, and never once had I doubted that she was in this for the long haul, just as I was. But despite my unwavering faith in her, the thought never failed to make my heart lurch anxiously.

Now, as that moment drew closer, I could feel the stirrings of excitement and anticipation buzzing alongside the fear. There was a part of me—a small part right now, but one that was growing more insistent by the second—that couldn't wait to ask her to share her life with me forever.

A few minutes later, we were ready to leave. We reached my parents' place to find that even though we were well in time, we were still the last ones to arrive. Dad was the one who opened the door for us, greeting Bella and me with hugs before we made our way inside. We said hello to Ma before encountering Nana, who was surrounded by Alice, Jasper, Tanya, and Adam, all five of them involved in an animated discussion.

The sight made me smile.

While Tanya had been my confidante for years, it was only the past year that'd brought my colleagues closer than ever to my family. We'd held each other up through tough times and celebrated the happier ones together, be it Alice's promotion at work or Jasper's first single-handed bust, Bella's birthday party or my parents' wedding anniversary. Just a couple of months ago, Tanya and Adam had finally taken the plunge of moving in together, and we'd all been there to help them in the process, returning the favor from when they'd done the same for Bella and me.

Exactly six months from the day we'd found each other again, Bella and I had decided to start living together. The day had begun like any other, with both of us standing in front of the mirror. I had a court appearance to attend to, so I was adjusting my tie, while she fiddled with her hair. I glanced down at her, a little amused, a little enamored, and so completely in love with the idea of spending the littlest realities of life with her.

She'd looked up, our eyes meeting, and the words had left my mouth without preamble. Her answering smile had lit up her face, my day . . . my life.

Given that she'd only recently set up her apartment with everything she'd dreamed of in her own home and the fact that I didn't share any particular attachment toward mine, it was easy to settle upon the _where_. And so, my belongings found themselves a place on her shelves, while we finally began a life that was truly _ours_ together.

Bella squeezed my hand, bringing me back to the present. My mother eagerly started to lead her to the kitchen, chatting about some new and interesting recipe she'd come across. My father called after them, asking Bella to remind him to show her the latest addition to his collection of paintings. It was a passion he'd nurtured for years, but neither my mother nor I had enough creative aptitude to share it. However, once Bella had perused the gorgeous pieces of art that adorned his study, she'd been glad to engage him in lively discussion about each, which always brought a twinkle to his eyes.

I knew there were days when Bella found herself missing her father more than anything, and nothing could completely soothe the longing that burned in her soul. But it warmed my heart to see her accept my family as her own. After everything we'd been through, nothing was more important for either of us than our loved ones. That was exactly why I'd opted out of any outrageous grand gestures, instead choosing to take this step into our future on this day and occasion, while everyone we cared for was here with us.

Dinner was a raucous affair. We stuffed ourselves with delicious food, while conversation and wine flowed freely around the table. Nana grumbled a bit about the lack of any spicy or fried elements in the meal, but perked up when dessert was served.

I watched Dad as he was about to interject with something when she picked up her spoon. She thwarted his effort, waggling a finger in his face.

"I know for a fact that my blood sugar is well within the normal range, Carlisle. Until the day the Lord decides to saddle me with diabetes over and above my weakling heart, I will damn well enjoy my birthday cake," she announced, and proceeded to gobble up a huge bite.

Dad could do nothing but raise his hands in surrender, while the rest of us worked hard to suppress our snickers.

Once everything was cleared up, Nana sent me a conspiratorial wink, directing everyone into the living room on the pretense of some riveting topic of discussion. Bella started to follow them, but I took her hand in mine.

"Come with me?" My voice wavered the tiniest bit, and I could only hope that she hadn't noticed it.

Trusting as ever, she smiled softly, placing her palm against mine. Braiding our fingers together, I led her out the backdoor to the patio that'd quickly become our favorite corner of the house. We made it a point to dine with my parents every other weekend or so, if my job permitted, and the end of the evening would often find the four of us settled here for a little peace and quiet. It wouldn't be long before my parents would bid us goodnight. Bella would scooch closer and lay her head against my shoulder, while I held her close, reveling in the simple, yet unparalleled joy of just being with her.

Bella went to sit down at her usual spot, but I squeezed her hand to stop her. She looked up at me questioningly. I leaned back against the wall and let go of her hand, draping my arm around her shoulders instead to draw her closer. She seemed a little confused, but followed my lead anyway.

I took a moment to breathe in, the gentle perfume from the garden mingling with Bella's sweet scent, and willed myself to calm down. I cast my mind back to the first time we'd been out here together . . . the first time she'd met my family. It seemed like ages ago, a time when we were both uncertain about the future—wishing for each other, but doubt and guilt preventing us from voicing our thoughts. My heart raced in my chest, sweat beading on the back of my neck, but for the first time since I'd thought of doing this, it wasn't anxiety that made my chest feel tighter. The memory of that night quelled the panic that'd been buzzing inside me all evening, leaving nothing but hope and immeasurable love in its place.

We'd come so far in the past year . . . There was no place for doubt between us. We'd known seven years ago that we were meant to be together, and despite everything we'd been through, we'd found our way back to each other.

What came next was just another step that'd take us closer to our forever.

"Did yo—" Bella started to say something, but broke off abruptly when I pulled away from her. "Edward?" she asked tentatively. "What's wrong?"

Concern flashed in her eyes as they raked over my face. I swallowed thickly, taking a quick, deep breath before I started to lower myself down to one knee.

I kept my gaze on her face, watching her while she watched me, her eyes widening as I reached out to take her hand. She peered at me through a thin veil of tears, her lips parting slowly as she realized what I was about to do.

"Isabella Swan," I began, and there was no hint of a tremor in my voice this time. "I love you more than my own life. I always have, and I always will. Six years of pain, guilt, loneliness couldn't begin to overcome the joy and love I found in the six months I spent with you. Letting you go was the hardest thing I've ever done, and today, I'm on my knees, asking you to bind yourself to me in such a way, that nothing can dare to separate us again. You gave me the world the moment you said yes to that blind date in college, but here I am, daring to ask for more. Because with you, there's always more . . . more love, more friendship, more happiness . . . more _life_." My fingers shook as I pulled out the box and pried the lid open, presenting her with the ring that'd been the symbol of my grandparents' love for over fifty years. "Will you marry me, Bella?"

I held my breath, but she didn't keep me waiting. As soon as the final words left my mouth, she nodded through her tears.

"Yes," she barely whispered through a sob, but riveted as I was, I had no trouble deciphering it. "Yes, Edward! Yes!"

I wanted to capture every facet of her beauty in this moment forever, but I couldn't stop the tears from welling up in my eyes, blurring my vision. Brushing them off quickly, I pinched the ring between my thumb and forefinger and shakily pulled her left hand toward me.

My gaze reluctantly left her face to fall onto her hand as I slipped the ring onto her finger. It had an oval sapphire in the center, lined all around by little diamonds, with two larger baguettes marking the beginning of the platinum band on either side. I'd had it restored to perfection without making any changes in the original design, and I could only hope that she liked it.

When I looked up at her face, her fingers curled around mine, tugging me upward, her eyes focused solely on me. She held my gaze all the way as I rose to my feet before throwing herself into my arms. Crushing her to my chest, I buried my face in her neck, smiling through my tears, as she murmured _Yes_ over and over in my ear.

It was several moments later that we broke apart, never straying far. I cupped her face in my palms.

"I love you," I whispered, and her face broke out into a smile.

"I love you, too. Forever, Edward."

Her words triggered another wave of happiness, almost as if it'd been waiting for a chance to crash over me and leave me drowning, breathless, overwhelmed with unbridled joy. I grinned, delighting in the feeling, and tightened my arms around Bella's waist.

I vaguely registered the cheers and catcalls from inside the house, but there was nothing that could've pulled my attention away from my girl . . . my _fiancée_.

As much as I loved my family, they would just have to wait their turn.

And as I lifted her into my arms, pressing my lips to hers before twirling around on my feet, ignoring our nosy audience for the time being, breathing in and relishing this moment that was just _ours_ , I knew I'd gotten everything I'd ever wanted.

 **~THE END~**

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 **A/N: That's a wrap. Pictures of the gorgeous ring Edward and I found for Bella are posted in my Facebook group.**

 _ ***hits COMPLETE***_ **Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with some bittersweet tears.**

 **Before that, the last, but the most important THANK YOU goes to you, the readers. I know this was nowhere near the typical E/B fanfic material. Hell, their romance was practically a subplot, yet you stuck with me and my longstanding dream of writing a murder mystery. I can only hope I did justice to my favourite genre. I hope you enjoyed the suspense, the friendship, the romance, and that it was worth the wait.**

 **What's next?**

 **Well, for the rest of this month, you can find me buried under my big, fat books as the exams approach. But I'll be back in July with my EndoRead Fundraiser piece,** _ **Perfectly Imperfect**_ **~ An outtake from my story,** _ **Fly With Me.**_

 **I also have a new short story in the works. It should be ready by next month.**

 **I hope to see you there.**

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 **For pics, updates, exclusive snippets of my upcoming projects, come join us in my FB group – Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. The link is on my profile.**

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 **FIC REC - At First Sight by SparksFly15 - Bella is walking down the aisle, and the world changes when she sees the man of her dreams...for the first time.**


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